A planning authority has power, under section 202(2) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000, to make an order declaring an area to be an area of special amenity, where it considers that this should be done by reason of:
(a) its outstanding natural beauty, or
(b) its special recreational value, and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation.
As Minister of State, I have power under section 202(3) of the Act to direct a planning authority to make such a special amenity area order. The order must be made by resolution i.e. it is a reserved function of the Council, and must be confirmed by An Bord Pleanála. In March 1987, the then Minister directed Dublin County Council to make a Special Amenity Area Order for the Liffey Valley and the order was confirmed on 8 March 1990. I am fully supportive of the protection and further enhancement of the Liffey Valley as an amenity. In 2009, my predecessor requested the relevant authorities (South Dublin County Council, Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council and Kildare County Council) to consider the evaluation of lands to be the subject of a further Special Amenity Area Order for the purpose of extending the existing area to possibly include the Guinness/Farmleigh Bridge. Responses were received from these authorities and considered by my Department.
In general, the responses received in 2009 indicated that there were insufficient grounds or funds for extending the Order beyond its existing area. Accordingly, I do not propose to issue any directions on this matter to the planning authorities concerned at this time. In 2006, the Office of Public Works commissioned a strategy document “Towards a Liffey Valley Park”, which set out recommendations for the creation of a process towards the establishment of a park with a management framework for the Liffey Valley area. The matter of the implementation of these recommendations, or similar steps, is one for the local authorities concerned.
