Richard O'Donoghue urges developer-led infrastructure to speed housing
Richard O'Donoghue spoke about the construction sector, criticising Irish Water's delivery record and calling for developer-led infrastructure overseen by county councils. He argued planning contributions and charges unfairly burden one-off housebuilders and urged planning law changes to stop distant objections.
O'Donoghue said infrastructure is the key to delivering housing on budget and on time and proposed that developers build infrastructure to Irish Water standards, with county councils overseeing the work and then taking it back once complete. He asserted this approach would double the amount of infrastructure and houses delivered.
He criticised Irish Water's record, saying that since its establishment it has not delivered a single project on budget or on time and that projects are routinely over budget. He repeated his call for the minister to address Irish Water's performance.
O'Donoghue highlighted the impact of planning contributions on people building one-off houses on their own land, saying they now face charges despite providing their own services and never requiring public footpaths or lighting. He cited a 5,000 euro contribution and complained that people pay heavy taxes and fees while struggling to afford basics and holidays.
He welcomed planning law reforms if they genuinely help people to build and if they curb what he called serial objectors, referencing his deputy O'Flynn's point that people in distant counties can currently lodge objections. He urged changes to ensure applicants can build to county council guidelines for the future.
O'Donoghue concluded by calling directly on the minister to engage with Irish Water and to consider developer-led, council-overseen infrastructure as the way forward to speed housing delivery and reduce costs.
Main argument
O'Donoghue said infrastructure is the key to delivering housing on budget and on time and proposed that developers build infrastructure to Irish Water standards, with county councils overseeing the work and then taking it back once complete. He asserted this approach would double the amount of infrastructure and houses delivered.
Criticism of Irish Water
He criticised Irish Water's record, saying that since its establishment it has not delivered a single project on budget or on time and that projects are routinely over budget. He repeated his call for the minister to address Irish Water's performance.
Burden on one-off housebuilders
O'Donoghue highlighted the impact of planning contributions on people building one-off houses on their own land, saying they now face charges despite providing their own services and never requiring public footpaths or lighting. He cited a 5,000 euro contribution and complained that people pay heavy taxes and fees while struggling to afford basics and holidays.
Planning reform and serial objectors
He welcomed planning law reforms if they genuinely help people to build and if they curb what he called serial objectors, referencing his deputy O'Flynn's point that people in distant counties can currently lodge objections. He urged changes to ensure applicants can build to county council guidelines for the future.
Call to the minister
O'Donoghue concluded by calling directly on the minister to engage with Irish Water and to consider developer-led, council-overseen infrastructure as the way forward to speed housing delivery and reduce costs.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy Questions Job Risk, Workers' Rights and AI Training
Victor Boyhan
Victor Boyhan: Demands Answers After Ardu Athai Housing Halt
Sharon Keogan
Sharon Keogan Questions NGO Coordination in Bill Submissions
Brian Stanley
Brian Stanley: Supports Bill, warns on 32sqm apartments and planning
Danny Healy-Rae
Danny Healy-Rae urges planning extensions to help rural builders
Mattie McGrath
Mattie McGrath: Calls to reduce student contribution to 2,000
Transcript
Minister, from the very first day I've been telling people I'm in the construction industry. I have been all my life and I give me whatever experience I can. Infrastructure is the key. On budget, on time. From the time Irish Water was set up, they have not brought in one project on budget or on time. Eventing they're over budget all the time. That's the problem. I keep saying to you, let it be developer-led infrastructure. Let them build the infrastructure to the design of Irish Water Standards, which are there to be seen. Let it be overseen by the county councils. And then hand it back to them done. We'll get twice the amount of infrastructure built and we'll get twice the amount of houses built. On the purpose of one-off planning, our people want to build their own house. And now the contributions have been brought back on again. So a person building a house on their own land now, that will never have a footpath, will never have public lighting, supplying their own water, are now paying 5,000 euros to build a house on their own land. Paying 20% of their mortgage is tax. And they're building their own house and they're not on a list that you have to provide houses for. They're providing their own. So their work pay tax. They pay tax on their mortgage. They pay a fee to build in their own land. They pay tax on the fuel in their car. And they have nothing back from government, even though they're given everything. And they're working for the people that aren't able to work and they're not complaining. And when you hear contributions today of people, their families now, parents are doing without one meal in every four to make sure their children have food. When you look at people now talking about going on holidays, and you look at the travel agencies, and the travel agencies are now telling you that the people are not booking holidays anymore. Because now they can't afford to go on holidays. These are the basic people that have worked hard all their lives, now want to have a break. They no longer can have a break because it's not affordable. They have to put food on the table. They have to pay bills. We now have these planning laws, and I welcome the planning laws, if they help people build. And if it also deals with the serial objectors, as my deputy here, O'Flynn, has said, that somebody above in Donegal can object to something below in Nimerick. Or somebody above in Cork can object to somebody above in Leitrim. That type of stuff has to stop. We have to make sure that people can build to the county council's guidelines when you get your planning, and they're allowed to build for the future. So, Minister, Irish Water, you're going to have to deal with them, and you're going to have to look at developing lead infrastructure. Thank you. Thank you.