Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

It is not often I defend the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, but it is unfair to criticise him on the issue of one-off housing in rural areas. Many of us come from rural areas and are aware of the pressures young families face in trying to get planning permission for one-off homes. Some parts of Ireland are suffering from rural depopulation. As a result shops are closing down and children are not enrolling in schools. There are other parts of rural Ireland, however, that are under pressure from urbanisation. Many parts of my own County Meath, and County Kildare suffer because too many houses are being built in the countryside. It is very important that we adopt a sensible rather than a populist approach. I would welcome a debate on this issue but it is fair to look at it intelligently and not merely to assume that it is all right to give carte blanche planning permission for rural housing.