Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy's point on choice and location is important. Under the planning codes, when a housing estate of a particular scale is built, there is a requirement to put in childcare places. In my area in Dublin 15, I have been disappointed too often by developers trying to subsequently get the childcare facility rezoned and sell it on for housing units. That is disappointing because we all know there is demand. I take with a pinch of salt the argument put forward by some developers that no one would take up this particular service. We are aware that in suburban areas like our constituencies there is significant demand. There is one example which I will not name where our local authority rejected an attempt to rezone and get out of that childcare obligation. It is important that local authorities and our colleagues on councils play their role to ensure that is not happening.

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