Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

I do not believe anybody has disputed the fact that those planning permissions will deliver at least €70 million, and probably up to €130 million or €140 million, in the two year period. That money will go directly into the housing funds of local authorities, the central Exchequer will not get its hands on it. I could have made the choice to do nothing, to allow all the sites to wither and to forget about everybody. If I had taken no action, I would not have needed to come before the House this evening. However, as a responsible politician appointed to do a particular job, I am not here to philosophise, I am here to make things happen. That is why I decided to take the approach I have outlined.

As Members know, the Bill will come into effect before 31 December. Representatives of every political party in the State lobbied me, in good faith and for good reasons, on this issue. People wanted the rule to be abandoned because they wanted planning permissions that had been granted to be used. Members, housing organisations and local authority managers contacted me about this issue and I listened to their views in order to reach an opinion on it.

The second issue was the specific nature of the 20% provision in Part V of the 2002 Act. It was made clear to me by local authorities that Part V was too rigid and that they believed they would be able to do more if the provision contained a greater degree of flexibility. Many Members of both Houses have told me that it is working extremely well in the UK, where huge volumes of social and affordable housing are being delivered.

Local authority managers informed me that if our system contained the same flexibility as the UK's, it would be able to deliver. One of the points they made is that when something is so narrowly defined, it is difficult to apply simultaneously throughout the country because circumstances and housing needs differ from area to area. The system should be flexible enough to reflect the specific needs of an area in Dublin as opposed to a small village in another part of the country.

One cannot simply apply the rigidities in the existing system and expect an increase in volume. For example, we only got 48 units. We can debate the matter and blame the members of the public who would not buy the houses, the builders and everyone else, but that will not deliver any further houses. I could engage in long philosophical arguments in this House or outside, but it would not lead to anything being delivered. The only thing that is going to deliver is direct action. That is the choice with which I am faced and I will face it without fear or favour.