Sinn Féin's housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has said the planning system is not responsible for the housing crisis.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Mr Ó Broin said he believes while there is a need to reform the planning system, a lot of discussion in the public arena about planning is based on "misunderstandings".
He said the Office of the Planning Regulator published a report a few weeks ago and it showed 85% of all planning applications are approved.
"Only 3% are judicially reviewed."
He said planning for over 90,000 units of accommodation has been granted and only a very small number of units are delayed.
He said he thinks the publication of the draft Planning and Development Bill is an opportunity to have "a once in a generation" review of the system.
The draft Planning and Development Bill was published yesterday. It has been under a 15-month review led by the office of the Attorney General.
While Mr Ó Broin said there are potential positives in the bill, he added that there are also "huge risks".
"We are seeing a further centralisation of planning authority in the hands of the Minister [for Housing Darragh O'Brien]. That was one of the problems."
He also highlighted the issue around judicial reviews.
"I agree with the Minister that the courts aren't a good place to make planning decisions. My fear in what is in this legislation is that it will increase litigation, particularly satellite and higher court litigation at the same time as trying to deny us access to justice," he said.
He said this piece of legislation will affect tens of thousands of people and that it will be considered over the coming weeks at a Committee hearing.
The Housing Committee will hold public hearings on the draft legislation and invite all sectors in to hear their views before it delivers a report on it.
