David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Why do people not want to live in them? Perhaps they are built in the wrong place or on flood plains. If so, they should be just bloody well demolished. They should be gotten rid of if they are in that condition. It is a tragedy to think that something that cost €150,000 to build cannot be disposed of at €50,000. That is a really chronic situation.

I was impressed by the Minister's reply. It was clear and thoughtful. Has the Minister come across any evidence of hoarding or of people keeping planning permissions dormant so they can put them in when there has been a big gazump in the market? That is wrong. When the Minister says it is not a viable situation and they are not economically feasible, how often is that the situation? Could I suggest a possible amendment that the Minister might consider on Report Stage? It is quite simple. In page 7, between lines 21 and 22 to insert the following, "where there is evidence of hoarding" before the words "an application" because that would deal with the situation. It means that if the authorities have evidence that a builder has been deliberately hoarding permissions and not acting on them, then he or she should be prevented from making use of the Bill. That is a reasonable amendment to the amendment. It keeps the thrust and intention of the amendment but it targets it a bit more specifically at people who the whole House feels should not be included in this process.