Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)

Housing is the singular issue of this Dáil and this generation. The new planning framework has gone to the local authorities. What has been the response from the local authorities and what initiatives will the Government take to ensure its instructions to increase the rezoning of land will be carried through at a local level? The development of wastewater treatment plans, and developer-led wastewater treatment plants, would serve small towns and villages very well, as Deputy O'Meara pointed out. There is a pent-up demand for development in small towns and villages but the problem is infrastructure. Of course, there is also the aspect of increasing our energy infrastructure. I know the Government is putting huge resources into development of the grid and the production of electricity, as well as looking at the off-site construction solutions that can ramp up supply rapidly in Ireland.

See this speech in context