Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I wish to speak to amendment No. 18, the objective of which, as we discussed on Committee Stage, is to allow local authorities to refuse planning permission to a developer who has failed to complete a development. We want to deal with rogue builders who do not complete estates because, notwithstanding the Minister of State's claim on Committee Stage that such powers exist, problems clearly arise in that regard. We want to put it beyond doubt that leaving an estate unfinished shall not constitute compliance with a previous permission. The Government amendment No. 6 to the Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009, which was debated last Thursday, provided for the avoidance of doubt. I want to put the matter of unfinished estates beyond doubt and ask the Minister of State to accept the amendment.