Sharon Keogan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

If ever two Members spoke sense in this House, it has to be the last two speakers, Senators Casey and Higgins. I support Senator Fitzpatrick's amendment, but I want to know what it means for the current development plans. Certainly, the national planning framework needs a complete review at this time. I will talk about Meath. Currently, the local authority in Meath has no land where it can provide any housing. It has absolutely no land on which to build social or affordable housing. It is at a complete disadvantage. What is it doing? It is dezoning land. We all know that not all zoned land will be developed. It is clearly misguided to require dezoning of land based on an assumption that all zoned land will be developed. Elected members in drafting a draft development plan are entitled to consider that extensive dezoning may have the predictable economic effect of raising development land prices and affect the economic viability of housing developments by raising house prices and costs, including in social and affordable housing. In any proposals to reduce zoning, a planning authority is not necessarily bound to consider that all development land will be developed. I believe it should. A planning authority has to be cognisant of the fact that dezoning land for residential development inevitably tends to increase the cost of housing by pushing up the price of the remaining zoned land.

I am supporting the amendment. However, it is a big mistake to take the route of dezoning land in this country. I welcome publishing plans at periods of three, five and ten years.