Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I support this amendment. It is harmless but it puts into law the provision of facilities. There is a healthy lifestyle aspect to life. We have huge challenges around obesity and related illnesses. We are talking about planning, infrastructure and development but we must plan to allow our communities to develop healthy lifestyle attitudes and activities. I generally support this section of the Bill and the thrust of the Bill is to empower local authorities to ensure proper community infrastructure is provided for when developments happen. It is no harm, therefore, to include the healthy lifestyle aspect to that provision of community infrastructure. Health is as important as education or any other of the aspects mentioned, such as broadband.

I have a niggling concern about how this would be implemented by local authorities on the ground. I am concerned that where a development happens, it should not act as an opponent to incentive for development. There are costs associated with all of this infrastructure and previously they should have been provided by condition or otherwise but the cost of this infrastructure, which is expensive, with waste water treatment plants, broadband and school sites, will be passed on by developers to purchasers within the community. I hope that niggling concern does not stop development due to unsustainable costs in the private sector or for people who are purchasing.

The general thrust is right. It is an attempt to rebalance development to ensure proper facilities where development occurs. We should learn from the mistakes of the past when there were not enough of those facilities. I welcomed the inclusion of flood relief and proper drainage. There was a debate on flooding earlier and we can see the devastation around the country in regards to this at the moment. It is important that proper assessments of flooding and impacts on surface water and drainage are carried out and the appropriate infrastructure is installed when developments happen. I am happy to see it written in law that it is considered prior to planning permission being granted. It is important from a infrastructural point of view and for proper and sustainable development.