Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will speak to some of the amendments in this grouping. Like Deputy Mattie McGrath, I am concerned. When changes are made to the national planning framework, they must be discussed in this House. Recognition has to be given to the elected councillors in our local authorities. We have had the scenario where councillors made certain unanimous decisions which were refused by the Planning Regulator and management came back asking them to change their decisions. In other words, this diluted what the people wanted and what the elected members of Kerry County Council.

I am speaking also to amendment No. 193 which requires that we should at least have "current information on current and projected population and demographics, including on net-migration and inward migration, coastal and flood related retreats". What I am getting at is there is a designation insisted upon by the planning regulator known as strict urban generated pressure. Anyone in here might think it is to stop people from urban areas going out to rural ones, but I am talking about towns like Kenmare, Killorglin and Killarney. It is preventing permission for fellas who were brought up in the rural areas. Just because the designation was shoved outside them, it has implications for a fella whose father really wanted him to build on the half-acre of ground beside him. I think the Minister is not listening.

See this speech in context