Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
1500. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered the introduction of a vacant site levy in cities to increase the supply and development of land to meet housing demands. [33289/14]
View answerAs Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, my role in relation to the planning system is to oversee the provision and updating of the planning legislative and policy framework, including as articulated through statutory planning guidelines, to secure the proper planning and sustainable development of the country as a whole, including urban areas.
While responsibility for planning at local level is a matter for local authorities within this framework, I am continuing to ensure that the most relevant legislative and policy framework is available to support authorities in the exercise of their planning functions and facilitate the adequate and appropriate provision of facilities, infrastructure and development to support residential and commercial developments within their areas.
In this regard, I continue to keep under review the need for any further legislative changes and policy measures, and where I am satisfied there is a sufficient evidence base, I will advance proposals accordingly, including any appropriate targeted initiatives for urban areas such as measures to encourage landowners or developers to bring forward sustainable urban development proposals. In this regard, I intend to introduce a new Planning Bill later this year to facilitate the implementation of certain planning-related actions in the Government’s Construction 2020 Strategy published in May 2014. Action 23 of the Strategy commits to examining the possibility of enabling local authorities, should they wish to do so, to adopt new measures to incentivise the use and development of vacant sites in urban areas. A final decision on this matter will be taken in the context of the forthcoming Planning Bill.
