Kevin Humphreys (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am quite encouraged by the response of the Minister of State. This issue must be addressed. However, one must consider how a development plan is dealt with in practice. I was first elected to a city council in 1999 and, as a new councillor, had to try to deal with a complicated development plan that was a foot thick for a city. That plan was revised several times at each election. New councillors were coming in to deal with a major development plan and found it very difficult to grasp. The Minister of State is nodding in agreement so I presume he had a similar experience at some stage.

The amendment makes good common sense. Consultation will be better because it will deal with a variation of the plan. The process must be correct but the key issue in this regard is divining what councillors' responsibilities and powers are in regard to initiating a variation of the development plan. During my time on the council, managers often told me that they would love to implement a variation of the development plan in a particular area because housing development was required but because of the make-up of the council the manager would get his or her head chopped off and the variation would not be progressed. If councillors are prepared to show the leadership to initiate a variation of a development plan in order to allow homes to be built, in particular at a time when we so badly need homes, they must be facilitated to do so. However, proper controls must be in place.

Nobody wishes to undermine public consultation, proper scrutiny taking place or, most importantly, a role in the process for the community. There is now a totally different public attitude to this issue because people now understand the problems in regard to a city and the need for housing. They understand the problems of density and are far more open than was previously the case to consideration of a variation of a development plan, in particular when it is an improvement of the plan and one is rezoning from industrial to residential and wants to move from a brownfield site to building homes. We must empower councillors who are aware of such needs in local communities to be able to initiate that, as well as management.

The Minister of State should consider this amendment before the Bill goes to Report Stage. There is a sense that Senators wish to support the amendment and facilitate change. If the Minister of State can do the required work with Senator Boyhan before Report Stage, it would be of benefit.