148. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has assessed the impact of reduced parking provision in high-density residential developments on neighbouring estates, including the issue of overspill parking and its effect on community relations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37539/26]

Sentiment score: 0.01

It did not take the "Prime Time" documentary on this to educate me about it. It started in my constituency with Citywest where there was out-of-proportion development in relation to the capacity for parking that was provided by either the local authority or An Bord Pleanála, now An Coimisiún Pleanála. Why was that density allowed? I presume proximity to the Luas red line was one of the reasons. However, not everybody living in that area takes the Luas red line. There were appeals on social media a number of years ago from people in Citywest asking to rent a space in the driveway of adjoining residential estates and to pay for it over a period of a year. That has stopped now. Cars are parked overnight on major artery roads significant distances from where people are actually living. They return to their cars in the morning hoping they will still be there. This is completely unsatisfactory. There is one line in the reply to which I want to come back in my second bite of the cherry. This is not working and the Government needs to come up with some response.

Sentiment score: 0.04

If we go from Citywest to Knocklyon where I live myself, it was mentioned in the documentary that 600 units overspill into adjoining estates, causing a lot of aggravation. Representatives of residents' associations in adjoining estates look for double yellow lines or parking measures to mitigate antisocial forms of parking. Then we have the people who do not have parking spaces because a sufficient number of car parking spaces were not provided in the apartment complexes. I get it that underground car parking is more expensive. However, in the answer it said that the approach provides planning authorities with a degree of flexibility so they can operate a plan-led approach and take the circumstances of the planned area or an individual site into account. It is not working, and it is going to get worse. We, on this side of the House, are going to have to design a solution - simple as.

Sentiment score: 0.04

I thank the Minister of State for his answer. I will take him up on his offer to engage further.

Sentiment score: 0.35