Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

As I mentioned on Second Stage, development plans will be required by law to refer to projected population statistics. It is fundamental that whatever projected population statistics are used are credible. I am sure the Central Statistics Office and other such organisations will be referred to. As we have seen with the compilation of the electoral register, many of the statistics we use are out of kilter with the reality and official records do not reflect the true population. However, we will require development plans to refer to those statistics. It is fundamental that statistics are credible and that local authorities which use them are sure they are accurate. If they are not and if we draft development plans based on projections which are not accurate, those plans will not be accurate.