Large-scale residential development bill
Deputy Carroll MacNeill asked about the timeline for planning legislation and criticised objections to a large housing scheme in north Dublin. The Taoiseach said the Bill should hopefully pass this session and defended the housing scheme against objections.
Deputy Tully correctly raised the current pressures in regard to rental properties. We clearly need large-scale residential development, public and private, in this State. Legislation is in train for the development. Can the Taoiseach give me a timeline for the delivery of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 and what is his view on Sinn Féin's objection last night to 853 homes proposed for north Dublin?
Comment on this
That legislation is progressing. It should be, hopefully, through the House this session, but that is ambitious. I have been consistent in my view with regard to objections to good housing schemes. Eight hundred and fifty homes would have been available if that scheme had got the green light. I do not understand why people are objecting to schemes that have been worked out for a considerable length of time. This has been going on for a long time in respect of the development at Oscar Traynor Road. The scheme has had a number of iterations and it has gone through the council a couple of times. All of that is delaying families from getting homes. That is something that people should reflect on. I cannot comprehend why, in a crisis, people are objecting to schemes that have been given due consideration. Yet, people still object to them.