Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. As he said, these amendments were really initiated in the Seanad. I understand that wording may need to be changed to get the meaning across and to be legally sound. Everybody recognises that.

Amendment No. 1 is core to Green Party values. My colleague Deputy Duffy was keen to have it inserted. I thank the Minister for taking it on board. He has also taken on board views of Sinn Féin.

I have spoken here before about the importance of sustainable communities. It is not just about housing; it is also about homes. It matters who is living in those homes when it comes to building up an entire community. We need to ensure intergenerational sustainability because it is important that children meet older generations and that we all learn from one another.It is about diverse backgrounds but also different age groups. City centres have been hollowed out. This Bill acknowledges that the Government is building sustainable communities in our cities and towns to ensure it is not a flash in the pan. These are well-thought-out policies. I thank the Minister for bringing forward the changes but also the amount of work he has done. We have been in government a year. Look at what has been achieved in housing. Several Bills have gone through this week on housing. Nothing is a quick fix but this will give people a lot of solace.