Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister and his officials. The guidelines are comprehensive and well thought out. As a former member of Laois County Council, this was one of my hobby horses over the years. I am delighted the guidelines have been published, as they lay down the criteria for future planning. A number of the guidelines will improve all aspects of the planning process, especially for members of the public who find the process confusing and full of red tape.

Planning issues annoy my constituents, who continually bring them to my attention. The guidelines, thankfully, include a renewed and strengthened emphasis to improve the service provided by planning authorities to applicants, with reference to improving the availability of and responses to preplanning consultations. The results of this will be to ensure applicants and planning authorities can work together. This will be much better because local authorities will be able to examine the necessary planning criteria and then select the best site and design solution for a house. Such consultation will save time and money and will permit applicants to work with local authorities within the planning guidelines. This will work both ways as members of the public who wish to build will have a better understanding of planning issues and regulations, and planning officials will listen and respond to the concerns of applicants.

With regard to one aspect of these new guidelines, concerning emigrants returning to Ireland, I was impressed to note the Minister's special emphasis. I hope the guidelines will ensure that returning emigrants, who were born and lived for a substantial part of their lives in rural areas before moving abroad and now wish to return to reside near other family members, to care for elderly relatives or to retire, have their housing requirements facilitated on their return.

In drawing up the guidelines I am pleased the Minister accepted submissions from the relevant organisations that manage the development process in rural areas such as the planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála. Regardless of whether some people in Dublin like it, new homes must be built in rural Ireland. Many parishes throughout the island are only now beginning to see their populations increase after depopulation and emigration over the decades. On a practical level, our schools are now full and our GAA clubs fielding teams at all levels. Not everyone is forced to go to work in Dublin, Cork or Galway. Thankfully, there are wonderful employment opportunities in rural Ireland and the Government must ensure that those who wish to remain there are able to do so rather than be forced to move into towns with few green areas.

The Minister described the guidelines as a new era. I agree that planning authorities must respond more positively to the housing needs of rural communities and work to ensure that overall development is sustainable. I hope they will accept the guidelines as they set out in detail how Government policies on rural housing are to be implemented by them when they make their development plans. Local authorities should now take immediate steps to review their county and local development plans to incorporate the necessary changes to ensure that the relevant policies are consistent with them.

Dublin-based Senators and those who live in urban centres know about overcrowding, traffic congestion and serious social problems. We cannot continue to expand in the greater Dublin region. The Government must be proactive to ensure that fewer people are forced out of their local areas. I have heard people say that this will destroy the landscape and ruin things for hill-walkers. That is nonsense. People need homes and roofs over their heads rather than just a nice view. This issue is not simply about building houses and apartments; it is about the life of our country. Without people in the countryside, there is no point in having rural villages or parishes. Perhaps some people want that, but I for one want my family, if it wishes, to be able to live close to home.

I compliment the Minister on taking the bull by the horns and producing these guidelines as he promised he would. For their critics, I have a few brief words. Do they wish for there to be no homes built in rural Ireland? Do they propose that only existing houses may be lived in? I find it ironic that some of the Dublin crew who write for the newspapers and complain about the destruction of the countryside have no problem with buying an apartment on the beach in Spain but object to Irish people building a home in their own county.

I wish the Minister and his colleagues well. I am pleased the Government has introduced these guidelines, which are most welcome. I hope that the local authorities and planners do not drag their feet in this regard. I want to see these changes implemented without delay. I support the comments of my colleagues, which reflect the views of people across the country in their various constituencies.

Senator Bradford mentioned the change in the number of planners in different counties. In my own county, we have a planner from South Africa. I am not saying that he is not good, but if he starts to deal with planning permission, having been in the place only two months, I cannot see how he can give a fair decision. Much must be done with the planners themselves.