Nora Owen
Question:260 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when he proposes to commence section 48 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. [17854/01]
Written Answers. - Planning and Development Act, 2000.
The Planning and Development Act, 2000, was enacted on 28 August, 2000. Because of the scale and complexity of the Act, and the need to make regulations to give full effect to its provisions, it is necessary to commence the Act in stages. To date, I have made three commencement orders bringing a number of Parts of the Act into force. These include Part II on development plans, Part V on the supply of housing, Part IX on strategic development zones, Part XIV on the acquisition of land, Part XX which amends the Roads Act, 1993 and Part XVI on the licensing of outdoor events. I propose to commence section 48 of the Act together with the other control of development provisions in Part III. Regulations are currently being finalised by my Department which will enable me to bring these provisions of the Act into force. Some of these regulations require the prior approval of both Houses of the Oireachtas. I have also undertaken to bring the regulations in their entirety before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government for discussion prior to bringing them into force.
I propose to submit a draft of the regulations for approval within the next month.