Over the past 12 months, I have raised the issue of local needs with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Minister of State with special responsibility for housing and urban development, Deputy English. Planning rules introduced in 2005 are stopping people who were born and raised in an area building their family homes near their friends and family. In 2007, the European Commission issued an infringement notice against Ireland in regard to the 2005 rural housing guidelines which was deferred pending the decision of the European Court of Justice, ECJ, in a case known as the Flemish decree case. In 2013, the ECJ gave judgment and ruled that the Flemish decree constituted an unjustified restriction of fundamental freedoms under Article 43 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union on the freedom of movement of citizens. I was told in September 2018 that it was going to be resolved very soon. I have raised this on numerous occasions. The Minister, Deputy Murphy, keeps asking for solutions and I keep saying this will free up big and small houses. This will get people living in the countryside.

The Minister has an understanding of the question.

When can we expect the guidelines?

The 2005 guidelines are still in force despite things that have happened since. We are working to take on board the Flemish decree and other things that have happened in Europe since, including the issuance of new guidelines. It is important to note that, in publishing the national planning framework, we took account of those issues. The national planning framework allows for individual houses to be built. CSO statistics on the number of new builds over the past 12 months show that there has been a high percentage of one-off housing. Houses are still being granted planning permission and being built but clarity is needed on the guidelines. Those guidelines will issue from the Department once they are ready.