Eugene Murphy (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join Senator Kyne in complimenting the Cathaoirleach and all those who worked on yesterday's wonderful occasion. It was fascinating and fantastic. It was great to see so many former Senators back in Leinster House for the occasion. That was a nice touch.

This is a significant week in terms of planning and development, as the Government is going to approve the planning and development Bill today. I hope it will move quickly into law. This should probably have been done years ago. The Bill is not being approved to suit developers or speculators. Rather, it is to suit the ordinary people I have been meeting for many years who have been refused planning permission on their land to build a house. It is to suit the development of houses that are needed in the middle of a crisis. We have to do this.

There has been a great deal of false and misleading material on the matter of judicial reviews, but I understand that they will not be removed. Instead, there will be strict time limits on them. This is right. As the Taoiseach has stated, these changes are comprehensive and must come about. We have to make them, particularly if we are to develop housing. Too many housing projects are being held up.

Consider the delays in offshore wind energy. We need wind energy, particularly in the current crisis. Thankfully, we have not had an amber alert yet, but it could easily happen if this weather continues, even though the outlook provided by those with responsibility for this area seems fairly positive. We have to move quickly with offshore wind projects, but planning issues are holding them up for too long.

An Bord Pleanála has not been fit for purpose for a number of years. It must be changed. We must gear up, get our planning system working perfectly and respect people who want to object to planning applications. I am not saying that people do not have that right, and the Minister has made it clear that people will have the right to object to planning applications. Regardless of who is in power, though, if we want to reach our housing targets, make progress in planning and allow people to have confidence in the planning system, these changes must take place. I accept the right of the Opposition or anyone else to express reservations about the Bill, but it is the right thing to do in the long run. I hope that we move swiftly, that we have a better planning system and that our local authorities have more of a say.