Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I have very little left to say. I appreciate where the Minister is coming from. He takes a pragmatic view and he trusts the local authorities and the players out there. To a large extent, at one level I would agree with him that they should get up and get on as best they can with doing the job that we, the legislators, have given them. That would be fabulous in an ideal world but as we all know it does not work as well as that. That is why I have concerns about how this will work in practice. I have concerns that the option of last instance, as we would like it to be, will become the option of first instance in some cases, although obviously not in all, depending on who is negotiating and the circumstances. I am concerned that it will become a habit.

Money is not necessarily the problem, at least at present, particularly in the urban areas. Acquiring land for housing is the problem. In some cases to get the value of the 20% is not necessarily the solution. Acquiring land for public housing is very difficult and in some areas it is almost impossible. I would be concerned that putting that option in the legislation would create a certain pressure at the edges to go for that option. Pragmatism can go too far in that regard.

The Minister's views are clear, as are his priorities. I am not sure that that will necessarily translate into action on the ground.

Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

Amendment declared lost.