Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Section 23 of the Bill outlines how the proceeds of the vacant site levy are to be used by the planning authority. It essentially ring-fences the proceeds to be solely used for "the provision of housing on residential land" or for "the development and renewal of regeneration land". The legislation states that the proceeds "shall" be used in this way. The proposed amendment would insert a new paragraph in section 23(1) of the Bill to provide that the proceeds of the levy may be spent "on any local authority owned land in the area on the development of social housing". Section 23 currently provides that the proceeds may be used for "the provision of housing on residential land in the vicinity of the site" or for "the development and renewal of regeneration land in the vicinity of the site". This gives the planning authority wider scope in the use of the levy proceeds, including by using it to provide housing on local-authority-owned lands in the area, thereby providing greater benefit to the overall local area in which vacant sites are located. I consider that the provisions as they stand in the Bill enable the planning authority to use the proceeds of the levy in the most appropriate way. Therefore, the amendment that has been proposed is unnecessary. I oppose it for that reason.