Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Briefly, before I speak to amendment No. 1, it is important to set out clearly how we got to this stage, because there is a narrative out there that in some way this Bill is being rushed through. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As Chair of the Oireachtas housing committee, I want to state that we spent probably two and a half years working on this Bill. I think we have been through two Attorneys General. We have been through two assistant secretaries of the Department shepherding this Bill through the committee with us. I think we are through our third Minister for local government at this stage on it. We have spent many months, hours and weeks in the basement in the House here going through this Bill in very fine detail, line by line, section by section, Part by Part and Chapter by Chapter. We spent well over 100 hours in the committee dealing with many of these amendments in detail. There was no curtailment on anybody's right to speak on it and we gave it every single bit of time that was possible.

I acknowledge the work done by the Department's officials on this, and their continuous engagement with all the Members throughout this process. I also recognise that the staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas, including the ushers and the Bills Office. Every single one of them gave every support possible to us in the committee. There are Members here today who sat through every hour of that Committee Stage with us. I thank them for a very positive engagement on it.

Amendment No. 1 relates to the Title of the Bill. I support this amendment. I note that on Committee Stage, we tabled an amendment to provide for consideration of proper planning, sustainable development and the interests of the common good. That was a very worthwhile amendment made on Committee Stage.

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