An Bord Pleanála and rents
Senator Daly criticised staffing shortages and delays at An Bord Pleanála, calling them a major obstacle in the housing crisis. Senator Byrne followed with a separate complaint about Limerick being left out of rent pressure zones and asked for action on soaring rents.
I would like to address an issue that has been brought to my attention by a number of different people involved in various projects around the country, namely, the fiasco that is An Bord Pleanála at the moment. The Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government needs to address the issue. Staffing levels in An Bord Pleanála are 10% to 11% below what they were in 2008. The board is unable to reach decisions within any specified timeframe. The average length of time for a decision from An Bord Pleanála has grown from 15 weeks to 17 weeks. This is deplorable given that we have a housing crisis. It is slowing down genuine people who are prepared to build houses and help get us out of the situation we are in.
There are a number of other projects of which I am aware that have no idea when they will get a decision. They are in limbo. Due to the fact that the board is understaffed, it is unable to reach the deadlines it has set but is able to push out that deadline.
Along with bringing staffing levels up to the required number, the Minister also needs to set down clear guidelines for An Bord Pleanála similar to those that apply to any county council or local body so that when people apply for planning permission, they know the date on which they will get a decision, be it good, bad or indifferent. In this day and age, An Bord Pleanála needs to work to a similar system.
Comment on this
I wish to raise the issue of rent pressure zones. When the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government targeted rent pressure zones last year, Limerick was not included yet rents there have gone up by over 20% in the first quarter. This is the highest and fastest growing rent increase in the country. I would like the Minister to come to the House to debate the issue in terms of including Limerick in the rent pressure zones or finding a way to address the fact that landlords are putting up rents at an exorbitant rate in quite a short space of time. We are paying out money through HAP. There are different ways of helping people but given the rate of rent increases, people will not be able to afford to pay rents anymore and it is causing significant problems with regard to our housing crisis.