Vol. 568 No. 1
713 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the extra protection an area's designation as a heritage town affords communities such as Saggart in seeking to address planning issues in their area vis-à-vis planning applications made on foot of an area action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15422/03]
714 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government the situation that exists in relation to a town's designation as a heritage town; the measures in place to protect areas of heritage; and the body which is currently responsible for monitoring developments in towns designated as such, including for example, Saggart, County Dublin. [15423/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 713 and 714 together.
Designation of a town as a heritage town is undertaken by Bord Fáilte as a marketing device for tourism and no extra legal protection extends to a town as a result of such designation. Monitoring developments in a town, irrespective of its designation as a heritage town, is a matter for the relevant planning authority – South Dublin County Council in the case of Saggart.
Part 1 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that each planning authority's development plan must include objectives for the conservation and protection of the environment, including heritage. Planning authorities may also avail of the provisions of Part IV of the Planning Act 2000, which relate to protected structures and to architectural conservation areas and areas of special planning control. All these provisions allow for community or public participation, and it also remains open to all parties to comment on any planning application lodged with a planning authority.
