Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

How does one follow that? "Whispers informed strangers" is one of my favourite lines from Heaney. I commend the ambassador of Poland on the wonderful generosity of the Polish people and their government in the ongoing horrific Ukraine situation. I thank the ambassador who is very welcome to Ireland.

I ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on the national development plan 2040.The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, has appointed five members to the oversight body. That is important. This morning, the CSO published figures for the first quarter of 2022 regarding housing construction which showed 5,699 new dwellings were completed, a 44.5% increase and a further increase since the beginning of the pandemic. We welcome that significant increase in home completions, while recognising that we have a huge journey to go yet.

Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications heard from the Construction Industry Federation. A clear warning was given to all of us regarding major infrastructure projects being stopped, not being completed or not starting at all due to rising costs, inflation, hyper-inflation, skills shortages, construction companies not being prepared to tender and a decline in the number of construction companies in the sector. Our national development plan is very important, and it is important that we have a debate with the Ministers, Deputies Michael McGrath and Ryan, on that. As I have said, it is the driver of the regions at a time when we want economic development outside Dublin. Therefore, it is important that we have that debate.

I commend Senator Malcolm Byrne on his Commencement matter on the Moorhead report. The plan is to devolve more powers to local government. As part of the change the Cathaoirleach has initiated in the Seanad, it would be important that he give consideration to inviting members of local authorities to address the House, not as a political exercise but in order to extend the franchise in terms of the outreach of the Seanad to different groups. Local government and local authority members offer expertise in many different aspects of life. The Moorhead report can be compared to a house, in that if a roof is not on a house it is not complete. We need to have a debate on local government.