Danny Healy-Rae urges action on urban pressure blocking rural planning
Danny Healy-Rae spoke in the Dáil welcoming a change-of-use exemption for vacant commercial properties to residential use and an extension of increased animal housing allowances to 2028. He pressed ministers for action on what he called "strict urban generated pressure" that he says discriminates against people in rural parts of Kerry seeking planning permission.
He welcomed the regularisation of the change-of-use exemption allowing vacant commercial properties to be converted to residential use. He also welcomed the extension to 2028 of the increased provision for animal housing in Class 6 of Part 3 of Schedule 2, and the rise in permitted sizes from 200 to 300 square metres and from 300 to 450 square metres.
He criticised what he described as strict urban-generated pressure that prevents many rural applicants in Kerry from attaining or even applying for planning permission. He asked where the hold-up lies - whether in staff or in the housing department - and demanded clarity on when the issue will be resolved.
He raised the apparent delay on granny flats, noting nine months had passed since they were mentioned, and asked if this could be sorted and set out. He said there is currently no affordable housing scheme in Kerry and sought detail on what will happen about that situation.
He queried a new ID relating to treatment plants and non-serviced land and asked whether such sites could be exempted from zoning so that planning applications could be decided. He pressed for definitive answers on how these technical rules will affect rural housebuilding and planning outcomes.
He opened by sending seasonal wishes to colleagues and staff, and during his remarks he also flagged confusion over speaking time allocation when interrupted by another member. He concluded by calling for practical outcomes rather than further delay on the issues he raised.
Measures welcomed
He welcomed the regularisation of the change-of-use exemption allowing vacant commercial properties to be converted to residential use. He also welcomed the extension to 2028 of the increased provision for animal housing in Class 6 of Part 3 of Schedule 2, and the rise in permitted sizes from 200 to 300 square metres and from 300 to 450 square metres.
Concerns about rural planning access
He criticised what he described as strict urban-generated pressure that prevents many rural applicants in Kerry from attaining or even applying for planning permission. He asked where the hold-up lies - whether in staff or in the housing department - and demanded clarity on when the issue will be resolved.
Questions on granny flats and affordable housing in Kerry
He raised the apparent delay on granny flats, noting nine months had passed since they were mentioned, and asked if this could be sorted and set out. He said there is currently no affordable housing scheme in Kerry and sought detail on what will happen about that situation.
Treatment plants and non-serviced land
He queried a new ID relating to treatment plants and non-serviced land and asked whether such sites could be exempted from zoning so that planning applications could be decided. He pressed for definitive answers on how these technical rules will affect rural housebuilding and planning outcomes.
Parliamentary procedure and timing
He opened by sending seasonal wishes to colleagues and staff, and during his remarks he also flagged confusion over speaking time allocation when interrupted by another member. He concluded by calling for practical outcomes rather than further delay on the issues he raised.
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Transcript
Thank you very much and first of all I want to wish yourself and all the elected members here and all the staff and everyone that's involved in this great house and and the people that are running it all the very best for Christmas and all the best for the new year I wish you all the very very best. I suppose I do welcome of course the exemption for the change of use from vacant commercial properties to residential use. I actually thought that that was in place and what it is being regularised that's all for the better. I welcome the extending on to 2028 the increase of the provision for animal housing on the Class 6 of Part 3 of Schedule 2 by 50% from 200 square metres to 300 square metres and increases which increases the total from 300 square metres to 450 square metres. I welcome all of that and then Minister I'm asking everything is measured at home now by my grandchildren as how many sleeps is there till Christmas Day till Santa Claus come and I'm asking now how many more sleeps will we have to endure before we'll do something about the strict urban generated pressure cause that's discriminating against many people in rural parts of Kerry from attaining planning permission from even applying for it. The staff want and you see I've asked for this so many times before and I'm wondering where is the hold up or what is the hold up because I'm I'm I I thought that it was in the government's head to to sort this out is it staff in the housing department or where is the blockage or what's happening because the these people all they're looking for is permission to build a house for themselves they don't want one penny for many one of us here inside all they want us to get permission to build the house and then there's deputy the Nash your time is up we have deputy I thought that seven and a half minutes no we have other members you're only one of the other members and what you you have two and a half minutes of your time and I'll give me another minute deputy that's not the way it works well I I understood I had seven and a half minutes deputy Matthew McGrath I'm afraid thank you 30 seconds to finalize seen as you're taken off guard just called by the National Roads people get can't get in or out of the National Roads and where is the story about the granny flats to nine months ago now since he mentioned that is there some hold up on that can that be sorted out and put before us here and set it out for once and for all we don't have any affordable scheme in Kerry affordable housing scheme in Kerry and what's going to happen about this new ID know that we have for treatment plants and non-serviced land thank you deputy I will they get the exempted from from being zoned can the planning application decided thank you very much come for it I miss