Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I support the call for a comprehensive debate on planning, particularly with regard to rural housing. The former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Roche, brought in guidelines which were generally welcomed at the time. We found the implementation of those guidelines to be very diverse, as in some counties the spirit has been very much acknowledged and in other cases the guidelines have been virtually ignored.

I may have mentioned in the House one sinister development that came to my notice. In England, there is a planning body which monitors closely and in an exceptional way planning developments here in Ireland. When it was requested as to whether this applied to other countries, it indicated it did not and the historical link with Ireland was the reason behind the action. We should bear in mind the traditional concepts that applied to planning in England and Ireland are totally different.

Taking the village as an example, the English village and the traditional concept of an Irish village are totally different. The Irish Rural Dwellers Association, of which I am founding member, has put together an extensive file on contradictions and anomalies which exist throughout the country in regard to planning. The bottom line still is that the young generation is not succeeding in getting permission to build houses on the family farm.

We are all for good planning but many of these cases raise very serious questions. My belief is planning decisions should not only be fair and equitable, but they must be transparent also. It is vital we revisit the debate we had in this House in the past.

Ba mhaith liom aontú leis an Seanadóir Ó Dochartaigh maidir le díospóireacht a bheith againn anseo i dtaobh Gaeilge riachtanach le haghaidh dlíodóirí. Tá an Teach seo agus an Dáil tar éis reachtaíocht a chur i bhfeidhm maidir le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge. Tá sé luaite sa reachtaíocht go bhfuil dualgas ar 500 nó 600 eagrais seirbhísí dátheangacha a chuir ar fáil. Ní thuigim conas is féidir le dlíodóirí seirbhísíéagsúla a chuir ar fáil, go mórmhór ó thaobh cúrsaí dlí de, muna bhfuil cumas Gaeilge acu. Ba bhreá liom é sin a phlé arís uair éigin.