Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

By way of figures, although not exact figures, our LPT base is more than €2 million, albeit we used to have a top-up from the equalisation fund. Based on the figures, more than 90% of our housing is in the lower end of the LPT market. We will not see a significant increase in our LPT uptake. I wish to highlight the fact that we were the first county to increase it by 15% and to use that funding to match funding for regeneration projects for our county. It has been very successful, and I hope it will be taken on board.

From what has been said, it is positive that there is a commitment to engage with the local authorities so that it is intended to discuss the plan from 2023 onwards. I ask, and this is in the Minister of State's interest as it relates to his constituency of Laois-Offaly, that when the decision is made, it is made for a three- or four-year period. It is important for any local authority to plan forward. We have a significant number of projects. We have a large €10 million urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, project in Longford town. We have an URDF project of more than €6.5 million in Ballymahon. There are significant projects throughout the county on outdoor recreation. We have been successful with those applications because of the decision we took on the LPT and the model, which has now been replicated by 15 or 16 local authorities in the country. When that review is complete, I hope the commitment is for a four-year period so that we can plan ahead for the projects we have in the pipeline in our county.