Vol. 488 No. 3
7 Mr. Higgins (Mayo) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the steps, if any, he will take to encourage the development of a co-ordinated planning framework between the Dublin local authorities and those in the four adjoining counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5877/98]
There is a clear necessity for a strategic and co-ordinated approach to land use planning on a regional basis. The need is particularly acute in the greater Dublin area given the influence which the capital exerts on the adjoining counties. On my Department's initiative, the preparation of strategic planning guidelines for the Dublin and mid-east regions is now under way. The guidelines are being drawn up by the local and regional authorities involved, in consultation with my Department and the Dublin Transportation Office. Consultants are being engaged to prepare the guidelines over the next 12 months.
The guidelines will address, in accordance with the principles of sustainable development, all the relevant socio-economic, infrastructural and environmental factors and provide a comprehensive overall framework for the physical development of the Dublin and mid-east regions over the next decade or so. The guidelines will address the population to be accommodated in the greater Dublin area with an indicative distribution of that population and locations for commercial and industrial development.
The Minister informed the House that the guidelines were due to be published within 12 months. Does that mean they will have no impact on the proposed planning legislation, which the Taoiseach informed the House is due to be published in the autumn.
How can planning guidelines be implemented when the vast majority of development plans in the seven counties mentioned are now completed and will be implemented between now and the years 2002 and 2003? How can the guidelines have any effect until after that period of time?
I am sure when the guidelines are finalised and drawn up the local authorities in the areas to which they will apply will take them into account and, where necessary, adapt and revise their development plans accordingly. All relevant local authorities are involved in the process of drawing up the guidelines at both the level of elected members and officials, Development plans are being reviewed or have recently been reviewed, but that is not a good reason to delay the publication of the guidelines. I am confident that, when they are in place, local authorities will take note of them and, if there is any immediate need to change their development plans, they will undertake to do so. I am sure everyone would agree that as Dublin has such an effect on neighbouring counties, its local authorities should not be allowed to proceed with their development plans in isolation. Given the difficulties which might arise from such a scenario, I am sure the local authorities will take note of what the guidelines suggest.
Will the Minister's planning legislation come before or after the publication of these guidelines? The Taoiseach informed the House the legislation is due to be published in the autumn session.
The reform of planning legislation is being undertaken by the Department. There has been a consultative conference, I intend to have legislation published in the middle of the year and it should be before the House before the autumn as the Taoiseach outlined. It is hoped the legislation will be passed before the guidelines are published. Following that, it is my intention——
How can effect be given to the new planning guidelines when the new law will be passed before they are published?
Having passed the planning and development legislation, there will be further legislation dealing with architectural heritage. The guidelines will also be published at the end of the ongoing consultation process. It is my intention then to have all planning legislation consolidated. If issues arise in the guidelines which need a legislative framework, they will be included in the consolidating legislation. The planning guidelines are strategic; they are not specific planning legislation. They are guidelines for local authorities to aid discussion in terms of overall structural needs and population distribution. However, legislation may be needed and that will be dealt with in the consolidating legislation.
I raised the matter of the Local Government Planning and Development (No. 2) Bill with the Taoiseach on the Order of Business. I thought I spoke distinctly but the Taoiseach obviously misheard me because he replied about an architectural Bill which was not what I asked about. I presume the Bill will come before the House between mid-year and the autumn. I do not know why we are getting guidelines which will not be enforceable by law. Some county councils need the force of law to make them carry out their plans properly. I am not sure why the Minister does not give us the Bill now and introduce guidelines arising from the legislation. Would that not give us the legislative framework for regional planning rather than simple guidelines? Is it the case that we must act sooner than legislation would be available? I support the thinking of the Minister on regional planning.
I thank the Deputy for his final comment. Members of the House support this approach. I will not have the planning and development Bill before the House before the middle of the year because we engaged in the widest possible consultation. We had a convention at which the Deputy's party was represented along with members of local authorities. We all realise that a considerable number of issue have to be addressed. The convention dealt with and discussed these issues. We have legislative provisions to promote co-ordination and planning in the greater Dublin area and elsewhere. Each local authority must consult neighbouring authorities when putting its draft development plan forward for the three month consultation period.
The Dublin and mid-east regional authorities have a function to promote co-ordination in the provision of public services. Under the Local Government Act, 1993, the Dublin Act, local authorities must co-ordinate plans with each other. There is a legislative base for co-ordination. The guidelines are meant to be strategic. It is the equivalent of a large development plan for the region rather than its individual components. I do not anticipate huge problems in implementing the strategy or the guidelines. However, as the Deputy rightly says, we may need a legislative base for regional planning. We will have it in the consolidation Bill if necessary.
Given that the greater Dublin area has spilled beyond the county boundaries and the commuter belt is, effectively, an arc encompassing Dundalk, Athlone and north Wexford, has the Minister any plans to establish an authority which would oversee strategic planning for the area? Are there any plans to recast the regional bodies and areas which seem to overlap, such as regional authorities, health boards, IDA regions and so on? Are there plans to recast the regional structures to reflect the reality of the greater Dublin area and the commuter belt as it has developed?
I have no plans to recast the regional boundaries to cover the huge area referred to by the Deputy. I accept the Deputy's point regarding the commuter belt as opposed to the greater Dublin area. However, we are addressing the problems concerning the greater Dublin region. This is not the only region in which this type of exercise will need to be carried out. Similar exercises are being conducted in areas such as Limerick, Galway and Cork. I have no plans to create an authority to cover the area.
In the context of local government reform I have plans to examine regional boundaries with a view to recasting them in some way to ensure, in so far as is possible, that the various bodies mentioned have similar boundaries. This is a hostage to fortune as better men and women than I have tried this in the past. There are various interests such as the ESB, IDA, health boards——
VECs.
——and EU bodies. It is important that we develop a strategic, regional approach to these issues over a period. I hope local authorities and the constituent bodies of the existing regional authorities will focus a little more on the benefits of taking a strategic approach to many of their functions and use the regional authorities to assist them in regional planning.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
