I will come in and respond-----

I thank the Deputies. I will try to address some of the questions that have been raised. First, Deputy Ó Broin has asked about the type of scale or delivery of the additionality. We do not have the exact figures yet because we are still doing the surveys but there are approximately 38 sites in the €100 million fund that we have established. They are not in every single local authority area. Deputy Nash in particular referenced Louth, and there will be others. I speak to chief executives in every local authority eve…

He is probably stirring the pot. This is zoned land and there are no surprises there. This is land that is zoned in the development plan and there are no material contraventions, no breaches of development plans and no breaches of local area plans, LAPs. It is land that was already identified. Most of us within the areas we represent will be aware of State-owned land that is zoned but has not been developed for a significant length of time. We are including State agency land as well. The amendment details what is m…

I was talking about you stirring the pot.

That is your opinion.

We will set out in regulations the matter of reporting. We have to get the first phase of the work done, so I am not going to pre-empt anything, but I would expect it to be done quarterly. I want this to work. It is a new initiative and I am not saying I will expect understanding from the opposite side of the House-----

Nevertheless, it is important to be fair and I accept the points that have been made. We want the best quality builds and I fully understand what modern methods of construction, MMCs, are. I have visited many very good producers throughout the country, as I am sure many of the Deputies will also have done. There is a significant opportunity for us to scale it up and, I hope, we can point to what works well. Unless they travel throughout the country and visit different areas, people will not necessarily know where a…

The Deputy got the right sense of where we are at. I will not accept the amendment but I will not delay the House either. Section 5 of the Bill puts in place the appropriate provision for the appointment an interim chair. The Deputies will know from our earlier discussions that there is a valid reason for that to happen and in fairness, most Deputies agree. In appointing a deputy chair, a deputy chair cannot carry out the functions of a chairperson or discharge his or her functions without these changes actually be…

I move amendment No. 41: In page 10, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 111 of Act of 2000 11. Section 111 of the Act of 2000 is amended by the insertion of the following subsections after subsection (7): “(8) Notwithstanding any provision of this Act, a meeting of An Bord Pleanála, including a division of the board, may take place using remote video or telephone conferencing facilities or by any means of communication by which all of the board members and other persons participat…

I move amendment No. 42: In page 10, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Amendment of section 179 of Act of 2000 12. Section 179 of the Act of 2000 is amended in subsection (1)(a), by the insertion of “, other than development to which section 179A applies,” after “a development or a class of development”.”.

I move amendment No. 43: In page 10, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: “Local authority own housing development 13. The Act of 2000 is amended by the insertion of the following section after section 179: “ 179A. (1) This section applies to housing development— (a) that is carried out by, on behalf of, or jointly or in partnership with, a local authority pursuant to a contract entered into by the local authority concerned, whether in its capacity as a planning authority or in any other capacity, (b) th…

I move amendment No. 49: In page 5, line 7, after "Pleanála" to insert the following: "and, in order to facilitate and accelerate the provision of housing on lands owned by local authorities and certain state authorities, to provide that certain housing development on such lands be exempted development,".

For all of us, Bobby was a true friend. I was a disrupter in the group as a Dub. The one thing Bobby could never understand was that when he discussed hurling, I would discuss cricket. It was one thing he could never agree with me about. We travelled a bit and went to weddings in Kinsale. Everywhere you went, people loved Bobby. He was gregarious and his personality was infectious. As every Member who has spoken so far has said, you could not but be his friend. I have never heard a person say a bad word about Bobby…

There are only 15 members in the Government.

I thank colleagues from the three Government parties and those Members of the Opposition who have spoken in our favour. People watching the debate have witnessed the contrast between those who want to solve the housing situation and those who want to manipulate it. People will make up their minds on that at the appropriate time. I am glad the debate is coming to an end because we might have no more Sinn Féin Deputies in the House if it continues any longer. We are down to less than a third.

It is an important issue. I and my Government colleagues are acutely aware of the challenge the country has in tackling and solving the housing crisis. All of us in this House, whether Government or Opposition and whether some like it or not, have a responsibility to help resolve it, not to capitalise on it, manipulate it, sow division, block, delay or use any tactic to avoid supporting legislation that will fast-track delivery of the social homes that all of us in government want. Many in opposition say they want …

That might be a first. I stand to be corrected and will check the council records. There is a very serious-----

There is a very serious thing this Government is engaging in, namely, providing housing for all. That is why all three parties of the Government have put together a comprehensive plan that is detailed and clear for anyone who wants to read it. It sets out the actions across Government that need to be taken to improve the situation for our citizens. No one on the Opposition benches has put forward a comparable alternative. Any fair assessment will show that. Not only have we put together a plan but we have backed it…

The public knows that too. Let us show some respect to voters. That respect should extend to the fact that when Members bring forward alternatives, they should stack up and be implementable. If you support social housing across this country, do not object to it. Do not let your councillors object time after time or find any reason to object. Do not vote against legislation that will fast-track the delivery of social and affordable housing. Do not vote against legislation that means we can build on State-owned land …

Gabhaim buíochas le Teachta Bacik as ucht an mBille seo. Ní bheidh an Rialtas ag cur i gcoinne an Bhille seo. Ba cheart go mbeadh an Teachta cinnte go mbeimid ag obair le chéile ar an gceist thábhachtach seo. I am grateful to the Deputy for introducing the Bill. I assure her we will not oppose it but work with her on it. I will constructively outline some of the areas I believe we need to work on. Coastal Dublin Deputies who are present are all very familiar with Dublin Bay and love it. I grew up beside the sea. I …