Mary O'Rourke (Fianna Fail)

I am sure he is delighted with the good news for the hospital. As regards the cost of housing, I agree with the Senator about freeing up zoned land. Equally, however, no matter what explanatory guidelines are issued, the biggest question facing anyone dealing with people is planning in rural areas. One cannot obtain one-off planning. There are three or four weeks before validation is issued. The day before the eight weeks are up, an applicant will get a letter seeking information, which adds on another four weeks. Applicants then receive another letter seeking more information. It is a disgrace. I am convinced that planners get up every morning and say, "How many refusals can I issue today?" They then go about issuing them. It is an amazing process.

It does not matter to whom one goes in a local authority, it is a clear case of putting obstacles in the way of anyone who applies for planning permission. An ordinary young couple seeking planning permission must undertake a hazardous trek at the end of which they cannot obtain permission. I do not know what is going on. Michael Davitt said the land of Ireland was for the people of Ireland. He may have had his ideology but it is certainly not working out now. It does not matter if one is the son, daughter, sister or brother of the man or woman who owns the land, one will not get planning permission. It is a crisis. Our lives are dominated by people who cannot obtain planning permission.

Senator Leyden wants us all to be on Sky Television. I suppose it is all right if it was interested. The BBC has a channel for the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which is what I thought Senator Leyden was getting at.