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

I accept fully what Deputy McGreehan is saying. The existing sustainable rural housing guidelines date back to 2005. The national planning framework fully supports the sustainable development of rural areas. The updated rural housing guidelines are being prepared by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are looking at the guidelines to change them and make them more amenable to getting more planning permissions through for people. I do want to say that approximately 6,000 one-off houses on average get planning permission every year. We all know of cases involving people on their own land. One-off houses comprise 20% of housing completions in Ireland in the past five years. These are interesting figures despite all of the commentary. Given the housing crisis we are in, the guidelines have to be reviewed with a view to enabling. Elements such as cost are a factor.

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