Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)

Last April, the Minister for housing was quoted in the media as saying he would instruct all local authorities to reopen their county development plans and rezone a very significant additional amount of land for residential use so that that land is available for builders to build homes that people need across the country by the end of this year. This is a very welcome initiative. When will the Minister write to the local authorities and spell out what he wants from this process? Will he consider bringing in all the chief executives, directors of service for planning and chief planners along with the OPR’s office to thrash out how this move can result in progressing planning applications for local housing?

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