I want to raise the issue of rural housing. In County Louth I am dealing with an incredible number of young couples struggling to get planning permission for their homes. Often I find they are almost demonised for asking and having the audacity to want to build on their own land and create a future for themselves in their own communities. Couples who grow up in an area expect to be able to send their children to primary schools and secondary schools in the area. Quite often we see they are not allowed to do so and are asked to move to places to which they have no connection. The Taoiseach has made commitments on this. We cannot allow the future of so many young couples to be halted. I know of families living in caravans while they wait for planning permission. This is a crucial issue, particularly in County Louth where we have a large number of people being denied planning permission for their future homes.

I accept fully what Deputy McGreehan is saying. The existing sustainable rural housing guidelines date back to 2005. The national planning framework fully supports the sustainable development of rural areas. The updated rural housing guidelines are being prepared by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. We are looking at the guidelines to change them and make them more amenable to getting more planning permissions through for people. I do want to say that approximately 6,000 one-off houses on average get planning permission every year. We all know of cases involving people on their own land. One-off houses comprise 20% of housing completions in Ireland in the past five years. These are interesting figures despite all of the commentary. Given the housing crisis we are in, the guidelines have to be reviewed with a view to enabling. Elements such as cost are a factor.