Michael Brennan (Fianna Fail)

I congratulate the Minister and the Government on recognising the strong and continuing tradition of people living in rural areas. Those who are born in an area can live there and people who contribute to the local community will be entitled to build their family home in the area. The guidelines bring clarity to applicants and planners and are clear, consistent and readily understood. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, will now ensure that all the county development plans are re-visited and take into account the new policy on one-off housing.

This also applies to regional development plans at the draft stage and has a role to play towards ensuring that the relevant counties fully endorse, on an equitable basis, what is laid down in the guidelines. More importantly, An Bord Pleanála is now obliged to implement the guidelines with immediate effect. It is important the guidelines make it possible at the pre-planning stage for applicants and planners to tease out difficulties. Everyone has the right to build in rural Ireland, but not on a particular site. That is important.