Pádraig Ó Céidigh (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Ba mhaith liom tacú le moladh Sheanadóir Robbie Gallagher to have an all-Irish soccer team. It would be fantastic for the game, both in the North and the South.We have it in rugby, GAA and other fields. I also support the passionate contribution by Senator Mac Lochlainn relating to recognition of people who have given their lives for the country and who have given their lives passionately for others to live in a democratic society.

I wish to discuss the housing crisis, but a different area of the housing crisis. I am solution-focused. That is the world I come from. I am not interested in criticism. Unfortunately, we get far too much of that here. I am a supporter of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Murphy, having met him several times. I support his passion and commitment as I supported his predecessor as Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, in respect of this problem. It is a significant problem. There is no simple solution but there are levels of solutions. I will suggest a potential solution to one large aspect of the problem.

In rural Ireland we have major problems with planning permission and it is getting worse. Part of the problem is a question of getting finance from the banks, but the greater part is getting planning permission. People cannot get planning permission on family farms or land. The rules and regulations coming in are becoming more stringent every day.

We need a debate in the House. Will the Leader bring this back to the Minister, Deputy Murphy, to see what can be done in respect of the housing crisis we have in rural Ireland? In many places there are old houses that people cannot do up because of planning issues. That is one layer within which we can create effective quick solutions for people so that they can have a house and live in rural Ireland. Many are working there already and they have land. This would create greater flexibility so they could live and build there and contribute to their communities.

I call on the Leader to connect with the Minister, Deputy Murphy, on this issue. It would be a good idea if the Minister addressed the House on the overall situation on planning permission. The Apple situation in Athenry is not our biggest issue with planning by a country mile. We are dealing with it and I understand that the Taoiseach has spoken about this already. There is a bigger issue. The people are paying their taxes. They want to pay their taxes and live in their communities but cannot live there because we are not allowing them to do so.