Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

While I welcome the Minister and thank him for his contribution, I do not welcome the legislation and I will not support it. Like Senator Quinn, I believe the legislation is being rushed through the House unnecessarily. It is being rushed for a reason, namely, to fundamentally undermine Part V of the original Act. In doing so, it will dilute and fundamentally alter the thrust of the original Act in a very negative way.

The Planning and Development Act, 2000, was one of the most significant items of legislation passed by the previous Oireachtas. The Bill's passage through the Houses took months, so comprehensive were its provisions. At its heart was Part V, a fundamental provision in terms of the State's role in the area of housing. This provision was supported and underpinned by the constitutional judgment of the Supreme Court following the referral of the Act to it. Part V is fundamental because it attempts to tackle one of the most significant problems thrown up by the failure to address the housing problems in this country and represents a very important aspect of social policy, namely, that we must provide affordable housing for those who cannot compete in the market.

The State has a duty and responsibility to intervene to ensure social and affordable housing is provided where the market fails to do so. It is not surprising that there was massive resistance to the provision from the building industry, which has been doing extraordinary well from the current boom. Neither is it surprising that the industry was disappointed by the Supreme Court judgment. In that regard, therefore, it should come as no surprise that its resistance has continued. However, I am surprised at the rapid and extraordinary capitulation of the Government to the resistance of the building industry to Part V of the Act.