Mary Fitzpatrick (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is an incredibly important issue. I look forward to the Minister's response. I believe he values our local authority members and is doing all he can to give them more powers. It is an incremental process. This is being limited to lands being zoned for housing between not being developed. It will not apply to any other lands. I see that as an improvement. The Fianna Fáil Senators are determined to increase local authority member powers but, in this instance, we must make the priority the provision of housing and we cannot stand by while some local authority members vote against and block the provision of housing by the State. These are social and affordable homes that are desperately needed by our people.