Vol. 442 No. 3
53 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for the Environment if he will issue guidelines to all local authorities indicating the Government's desire that planning approval for all new housing and shopping developments should be conditional on the provision of a site and building for a nursery or a children's centre.
This matter was one of the recommendations of the Working Group on Childcare for Working Parents which was published on 15 March. The Minister for Equality and Law Reform dealt with the question of a Government response to the report in reply to Dáil questions on 23 March 1994 — Vol. 440 No. 5, Columns 1159 to 1164).
Last January I issued a circular to each local authority drawing their attention to the report of the Second Commission on the Status of Women. Among the issues highlighted by the commission was the need for adequate childcare facilities generally. While I am sure that most planning authorities already give due consideration to the issues raised in the commission's report, I asked authorities to re-examine their existing practices to ensure that they are in keeping with the findings of the report to the fullest extent possible. I also reminded planning authorities of the importance of the development plan as a mechanism whereby planning authorities can set out a blueprint for the development of residential areas, commercial and industrial centres, and all of the associated infrastructure and servicing, to meet the local community's development needs, including the particular needs of women as identified in the report.
