Our country is at a crossroads when it comes to objectors. We have An Taisce. There are serial objectors throughout the country. People in places such as Mayo are objecting to developments in Kerry.

First, the Government must withdraw funding from An Taisce. Second, the people who are objecting in this fashion should be obliged to pay for their objections. These objectors have inflicted pain, misery and misfortune on poor people in Kerry who just want to build a home for themselves but who have been denied by such objectors.

Our planning system is there to vindicate citizens' rights and I have always respected that. It is the right of our citizens to use the planning system. That can never be tied to the provision of funding to any organisation and I would never advocate that. In terms of the broader debate, I had an interesting exchange yesterday with Deputy Kelly on the need to consistently look at our planning frameworks to make sure they are efficient, effective and expedient and that they can facilitate different perspectives much more effectively than is currently the case.