Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

Absolutely, I agree. The cost base of every business is of concern to the Government. With regard to the small rural regionally based builders, we made it very clear that they need to be given support from the banking system to allow them to make the kinds of developments in rural areas the Deputy has spoken about and that we all want to see.

The Minister, Deputy Browne, will be writing to every local authority in the coming weeks to ask them to reopen their development plans to designate more land specifically for housing. That, in turn, will create opportunities for smaller builders. There is a skills challenge, and the Ministers, Deputies Lawless and Browne, are working to address that skills challenge in terms of apprenticeships to ensure we have the skills to support those regionally based builders to build those houses we need.

We are working closely with the hospitality sector but, as I said, the development of things such as 300-odd hubs keep people working in local villages and towns who otherwise would not be able to do so and who can use those facilities for lunch, coffee, etc.

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