Róisín Shortall
Question:161 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Transport his intentions in respect of establishing a greater Dublin land use and transport authority as promised in the programme for Government. [25927/04]
View answerThursday, 21 October 2004
Questions (161)
Written answers
The Government consultation paper, New Institutional Arrangements for Land-Use and Transport in the Greater Dublin Area, was published jointly by the Departments of the Environment and Local Government and Public Enterprise in April 2001. The paper proposed the establishment of a new strategic land use and transportation planning authority for the greater Dublin area. Developments since the publication of this consultation document have caused a review of its proposals.
The national spatial strategy was published in December 2002 and arising from that strategy the regional authorities have recently finalised regional planning guidelines under the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000. These will provide effective regional land use strategies consistent with the national spatial strategy. The Dublin and mid-east regional authorities have collaborated to produce a single set of guidelines for the greater Dublin area which were published on 8 July. These guidelines recommend a number of specific actions required for the further development of transport in the region. The guidelines also recommend a number of policy principles that need to be pursued in that regard.
The relevant agencies investing in transport in the region are now assessing their plans in the light of the guidelines. In particular the guidelines provide an important guidance to the Dublin Transportation Office in its input into all development plans and planning applications in the greater Dublin area. In the light of the developments in the intervening period I am of the view that the establishment of a greater Dublin land use transportation authority is not now a priority in seeking to improve the transport system for Dublin.