As I indicated in reply to Questions Nos. 20, 29 and 70 of 12 December 2000, planning authorities are required to prepare their housing strategies under Part V of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, by 1 August next. They have a maximum of a further three months thereafter to complete the procedures to vary the development plan to incorporate the strategy. I have urged them to complete this process ahead of this so that they can operate the social and affordable housing provisions in planning permissions as soon as possible. Based on available information, it appears that, in general, county councils and county boroughs are at the early stages in the preparation of their strategies. The four Dublin planning authorities, however, have been working over the last few months on the preparation of their strategies and it is expected that the draft strategies will be submitted to the respective councils early next year for consideration. I will be asking county and city managers to report to my Department by the end of January next setting out the position in relation to the preparation of the housing strategy for their area at that time, and specifically when it is proposed to complete the draft strategy and the procedures to vary the development plan to incorporate the strategy. When that information has been collated I will be able to estimate when the first planning permissions containing social and affordable housing conditions will be granted.
