Rezonings: Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators are seeking new measures to prevent land speculators making large profits from rezonings for housing developments.
They also want to see proposals to increase the number of planning approvals in rural areas included in the party's general election manifesto.
In a submission on environmental and rural affairs to yesterday's parliamentary party meeting, Kildare South TD Seán Ó Fearghail said there was a widespread feeling among back- benchers that measures were needed to tackle rising house prices and to provide assistance to first-time buyers.
His report was based on issues raised by TDs and Senators at one of last July's special parliamentary party meetings.
"There is a very great desire within the party to see some sort of control on development land prices," he told The Irish Times.
He said there was also concern that the current Part V system setting was not delivering adequate numbers of affordable housing. "There are inordinate delays, and it's not just because of developers, local councils could do a lot more."
He said TDs and Senators also wanted to see changes to the local authority mortgage system to allow for larger mortgages and an increase in the income threshold. Other issues raised included improved services for the elderly and disabled in the community, increased funding for minority sports. Backbench TDs and Senators are also seeking changes to the planning system to give a higher proportion of approvals in rural areas.
In an agriculture and rural affairs report, Senator Geraldine Feeney said there was widespread concern that rural dwellers were being denied housing because of the current planning situation. "The future of rural Ireland should be decided by those that live there, not people from Dublin with holiday homes," she said.
TDs and Senators were also seeking improved supports for young farmers and changes to proposals on water metering for farms.
Mr Ó Fearghail said TDs who had voiced concerns about a lack of consultation by the party leadership were satisfied that their views were now being taken into account. He was one of the 15 TDs who had originally sought to establish a new committee to give backbenchers a better platform.