31 January 2007

Environment

Development Plans

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will finalise the guidelines for planning authorities on development plans which have been in draft form since April 2006.

Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche): 
The Draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans were published for public consultation in April 2006, and 49 comments and submissions have been received.

The consideration of these comments and submissions is nearing completion I intend issuing the finalised Guidelines to planning authorities before the end of the first quarter of 2007. The guidelines will be issued as Ministerial guidelines under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which provides that planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála must have regard to the provisions of any such guidelines in the exercise of their planning functions.