Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has asked me to respond to his two suggestions. From my engagement with Europe, I am aware that the biggest issue we will face in the context of the next financial framework is how we will increase the European budget, to which Ireland is a net contributor. There are going to be a whole range of demands on us. In Ireland, traditionally, we have always protected the Common Agricultural Policy, and research and Horizon funding, along with other issues.

In the context of zoning for affordable housing, we will examine that idea. Hopefully, we will shortly be bringing forward the national planning framework, which will deal with zoning and give us a capacity to zone more.

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