Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 June 2023
100. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the scope under the National Islands Policy 2023-2033 to enable the construction of clusters of houses on offshore islands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28807/23]
View answer101. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to engage with an organisation concerning the provision of housing on an off-shore island (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28808/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 101 together.
The Government’s housing plan to 2030, Housing for All, supports the need to fully consider the housing needs of island communities as part of the objective to drive social sustainability and foster sustainable communities. In concert, our national planning policy in the National Planning Framework (NPF) identifies the need to have vibrant rural communities on our offshore islands and recognises that they are an integral part of our heritage with a special significance in Irish Culture. It is a National Policy Objective of the NPF to encourage sustainable growth in rural areas experiencing population decline such as many of our island communities.
The statutory county development plan, and its related housing strategy, prepared and adopted by each local authority provides the strategic policy context at a local level for planned new housing development. These documents provide the specific planning policy and objectives for the consideration of new proposals for housing development and the basis for meeting the identified housing needs of the local authority area. From a planning perspective, as Minister, I am precluded from commenting on any specific proposal with which a planning authority may be concerned by virtue of Section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.
The recent publication of the National Islands Policy 2023-2033 provides an appropriate framework for engagement and further development of housing policy on our off-shore islands in conjunction with the local authorities and other stakeholders. In this regard, The Housing Agency will work in partnership with these stakeholders to examine the potential for island-focused housing organisations and housing structures in support of housing provision across a range of accommodation types and formats appropriate to island communities.
Furthermore, in relation to the future development of a new housing project by an organisation, the relevant local authority, as the statutory housing authority and planning authority, is the appropriate body with which an organisation should engage with in the first instance in order to advise on the subject proposal.
