Noel Dempsey
Question:119 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if he has satisfied himself that county development plans are properly designed in order to protect Ireland's natural and architectural heritage. [2514/96]
Written Answers - Natural and Architectural Heritage.
Noel Dempsey
Question:120 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if he issues instructions, guidelines and criteria to local authorities regarding the preservation listing of premises and buildings. [2516/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.
Under the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, a local development plan must indicate the development objectives for the area including objectives for preserving, improving and extending amenities. In this context, amenities can include open spaces; game and bird sanctuaries; buildings of artistic, architectural or historical interest; plasterwork, staircases, woodwork or other internal fixtures and features of artistic, historical or architectural interest; places and features of natural beauty and interest; and caves, sites, features and other objects of archaeological, geological or historic interest. Planning control and other powers are available to local authorities for the purpose of achieving these objectives.
My Department is currently in consultation with the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht in regard to strengthening the role of the development plan in protecting natural habitats.
In pursuance of commitments in the policy agreement,A Government of Renewal, an interdepartmental working group comprising officials from my Department, the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht and the Office of Public Works has been established to examine and report back with recommendations on improving the arrangements for the protection of listed buildings. On the basis of that report consideration will be given to introducing changes to the Planning and Development Acts in order to give better protection to buildings of artistic, architectural or historical interest. The question of issuing guidelines, etc., will also be dealt with in this context.