Paul Coghlan (Fine Gael)

The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government stated in response to parliamentary questions in the Dáil last week that he has no proposals to implement the ninth report of the All-Party Committee on the Constitution to provide for a designated area scheme that would empower local authorities compulsorily to acquire land for development purposes. How does this fit with the proposed designated land (housing development) Bill which the Leader assured me some time ago it is intended to introduce early in 2008? There is an apparent contradiction. This Bill would provide for a so-called use-it-or-lose-it scheme. In view of the Minister's response to questions in the Dáil last week, will the Leader confirm whether this is still Government policy or if the timeframe he outlined to me has been revised in the meantime?