Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

The honest answer is "Yes". We need to be more ambitious. While these are judgment calls the Minister will no doubt get right in the time ahead, with Government colleagues, we also need to recognise that projects announced today obviously have a lead-in time. This Government wants to deliver 300,000 new homes by 2030. In order to fulfil that, we are going to have to press "go" on crucial water and energy projects and provide extra support and funding for the Land Development Agency. The Deputy is right that if we do not do that early on, we will not see the benefit of it for the people of this country later in this term of Government. It is a balance and a judgment call.

We have to ramp up the delivery of key pieces of infrastructure such as water, energy and transport infrastructure because they are obviously enablers of housing. We have to ramp up housing too. We have to get it right. That is why I am encouraged by the work being done by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, with the establishment of the new infrastructure division. Instead of what I call "pen pals international" where everyone writes to each other, we have seconded into that division key people from Uisce Éireann, the ESB and people with experience of An Bord Pleanála, who will work together with experienced civil servants. Those key bodies of work are either about to commence or are already under way.

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