Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The publication of this Bill is testament to a failure on which I have some sympathy for the Government. I understand the reasons for publishing the Bill, but it would do us all good if the Minister put up his hands and admitted he could not beat the builders who have beaten the Government on this issue. I concede, however, that no one on this side of the House would have had more success than the Minister in this regard.

It took guts to introduce and pass the Planning and Development Act, 2000. I supported the legislation and I still support the 20% social and affordable housing provision. It was an important measure which gave hope to many people, but failed to deliver. While it is easy to criticise the Act, the bigger issue is that developers and builders have managed to make it impossible to implement compassionate, reasonable and important legislation. We need to find a way to respond to their success.

Unfortunately, I did not hear the Minister's contribution but I will read it later. In his position, faced with the prospect of so many planning permissions withering in the coming months, I would also take action. As a resident of Fingal, I recognise that many of the provisions of the Bill are modelled on what Fingal County Council has been doing recently. Despite tribunals and other issues, I have been a defender of the efforts of Fingal County Council to move matters forward.