Danny Healy-Rae seeks two-year planning extensions for stalled builds
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister to confirm that the measure under debate will allow planning permission to be extended for people whose building projects stalled during the pandemic. He described cases where banks or institutions refused funds because applicants were on pandemic payments, and where retention and commercial applications were delayed by remote working.
Request for assurance
The deputy sought clear confirmation from the Minister that the proposed measure will cover self-build homeowners and other applicants whose planning permission expired or could not progress due to pandemic-related funding or processing issues.
Scenarios affecting homeowners
He outlined a scenario in which couples building their own homes were refused funds by banks or other institutions because one or both were receiving pandemic payments, leaving projects stalled and planning time running out.
Delays to commercial and retention applications
He described commercial developments and retention applications that could not be processed because architects and engineers were slow to respond while working from home, and because multiple planners and other bodies were unable to interact in the usual way.
Support conditional on two-year extension
The deputy asked specifically whether those scenarios would be covered by a two-year extension and said he would support the measure if it provided that relief, stressing there is a clear need for such an extension.
Local planning timeframe example
He cited local practice in Kerry where planning is often granted for five years with a possible five-year extension, using this to illustrate the types of timing pressures affecting stalled projects.
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I too want clarification or to be assured by the Minister that this, what we're doing here tonight, will allow planning permission to be extended for people who were building their own homes and fully intended doing so in the last 12 months or so and then were refused to be put in funds by the banks or the Indian institutions because maybe one or either of the couple are not. maybe both, both in the couple were not, the money wasn't forwarded because they were on the payment, the payment, the pandemic payment and many banks refused and the Indian institutions to give the money so planning and building has been stalled. Other instances where people wanted to apply for retention and where their planning was running out for commercial developments couldn't process their applications or get them together because architects and engineers were slow to come out, they were working from home and many, many, many of these projects needed interaction with planners and different bodies and different bodies and different bodies to get going and they were held up and they were held up and I'm asking, is it those type, like the scenario that I mentioned first, the people that wanted to build homes for themselves and there was no, like they had in Kerry, you get five, your planning is five years and then you get an extension for five years more, Minister, Minister, are those the type of scenarios that you will be giving the extension of two years and if you are, I will be in support of that because there is a need for that. Thank you.
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