Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister and his Department on their work in producing this Bill. I am pleased that decisive action has been taken to ensure the production of new houses is not delayed while keeping the development of social housing to the fore. By amending the housing supply provision in Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, which will allow for a more flexible approach to the provision of social housing, planners and developers will be able to keep those houses already in development on track. This will ensure the most is made of the spirit of the 2000 Act.

It is now recognised that while it has excellent merits, certain provisions of the 2000 Act are not working as well as they might. In view of this, the decisive action taken by the Minister is welcome. Had he not acted so swiftly house prices would have continued to escalate, which concerns us all. I hope the Bill will ensure the rate of increases in prices will keep pace with, or preferably lag behind, inflation. This will mean an end to the crazy situation where prices escalate by 15% to 20% per annum. It should also mean an end to the introduction of measures to curb the escalation in prices.