asked the Minister for Local Government when Government consideration of the Buchanan Report, commissioned in October, 1966, and received by the Government in September, 1968, will be completed.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Buchanan Report.
30.
I would refer the Deputy to my statement to the House on the 11th instant on regional planning and development in introducing my Department's Estimates for 1969-70.
The question of physical planning measures for regional development is under examination in my Department in consultation with other Departments concerned and, through the new regional groups, with local authorities. This examination will take account of the Buchanan Report as well as other planning studies. It should be understood that the working out of policies for regional development is a continuous process and does not of its nature come to finality at any point in time.
Will the Minister agree that, while intense study is needed, five years of work on the report and 18 months of a delay since is hardly an example of purposeful dynamic Fianna Fáil leadership? Why not decently bury the report and——
We cannot have a speech.
I am aware that the Labour Party have announced their total rejection of the report.
We have done no such thing.
Oh, yes. It was announced here last week. Or was it the poltroon party, not the academicians' party? The report was totally rejected. We intend to await the reports of these regional groups and then we will come to an informed decision.
When are we likely to have the decision—in the mid-1970s?
As I indicated, we do not expect to reach finality at all in regard to regional development. It is a continuous process. It is not a question of deciding on a few development centres.
Like deciding on the Six Counties? Is the Minister in effect telling us there will not be any decision on the Buchanan Report?
Not at all.
In reference to the Minister's sibylline statement——
Civilised?
——will the Minister indicate at what point the people of the country, the State agencies and others will get the necessary guide from Government Departments? Is it not true that State agencies are utterly frustrated by lack of decision? How soon can they get a decision which will enable them to plan ahead for the next 20 or 30 years?
They are aware of Government policy in the matter. They do not need to have a definite decision one way or the other in regard to the recommendations of the Buchanan Report in order to proceed with development plans and regional development.
Could the House be made aware of Government policy and could the Government say how, for instance, CIE can plan their own network for the next 20 or 30 years— whether they are to plan for Limerick growing to 100,000 or 125,000, for instance?
I gave the Government policy on 11th instant. It is to be found at columns 616 to 621 of the Official Report. Does the Deputy want me to read it again?