Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister. The net effect of the Bill will be more housing for those in greatest need and a green light for over 70,000 new houses over the next two years. Furthermore, it enshrines in legislation the requirement that builders play their part. The Minister has proposed a number of changes to the housing supply provisions of Part V of the Planning Act, 2000, but the provision of 20% of developments for social and affordable housing remains.

Fianna Fáil is committed to the objective of real social integration. Under Part V of the Planning Act, 2000, it is a requirement of planning permission for new housing developments that a certain proportion of the land, up to 20%, be reserved to meet the need for social and affordable housing. The changes are designed to make the operation of the system more flexible and to remove obstacles which would interrupt the continual supply of housing. The new measures follow a review of Part V which was promised in An Agreed Programme for Government.