Marc MacSharry (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him on his recent appointment. I look forward to working with him over the coming years. I am delighted to have the opportunity to make a few points on the important subject of planning, on which we all have so much to say. In the two years in which I have been a Member of this House, I have looked forward to the opportunity to speak on planning.

Notwithstanding that we all appreciate that the person who comes up with the optimum planning system will probably win a Nobel prize because planning is a highly subjective, variable and difficult issue to solve, I have no doubt that there is a better planning system than the one we are currently operating. The former Minister made great strides in beginning to tackle the problem of one-off housing, but there is still much to be done. Rural planning is not the only issue. There are many others, including commercial and urban planning.

To be facetious, coming from the west I contend that people need to realise that the west and rural Ireland generally do not just comprise a weekend or vacation retreat for urban dwellers or non-national holidaymakers who wish to come in search of the likes of Peig Sayers in a shawl, with a pint of Guinness in hand and pipe in mouth, looking out over a half door——