Vol. 442 No. 3
116 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment the categories of development used in connection with the Department of the Taoiseach which will be exempted from the new planning regulations announced by the Department of the Environment; the justification for such exemption; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993, established a framework for the application of planning permission requirements to development by Government Departments and the Office of Public Works and planning permission will, generally, be required for development commenced by those bodies after 15 June 1994. However, the Act also provded that, for reasons of public safety or order, the administration of justice, or national security or defence, development by State authorities could be excluded from the full requirements of the Planning Acts by ministerial regulations. Under this provision, the recent regulations specify that the Planning Acts will not apply, inter alia, to the provision of new office buildings and other premises used for the business of certain Government Departments, including the Department of the Taoiseach, of the extension beyond their existing boundaries of such buildings and premises. However, such development will, be subject to a procedure, involving public notice, the availability for inspection of outline plans and particulars of the proposals and an opportunity for public comment on them. The regulations also establish an exemption from planning permission requirements for any works carried out within, or bounding, the curtilage of the buildings and premises concerned.
