Monica Barnes
Ceist:53 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will publish the spatial policy papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15909/01]
Written Answers. - National Spatial Strategy.
Proinsias De Rossa
Ceist:64 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when he expects to publish the Government's long promised spatial plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15955/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 53 and 64 together.
My Department is making good progress on the preparation of the national spatial strategy. Following an initial round of public consultation last year my Department completed and published a report on the scope of the strategy, setting out the issues and challenges it needed to address and a work programme to ensure its delivery by the end of this year. This was followed by a period of extensive research during which a wide range of issues such as population and labour force projections, the future role of Dublin in Ireland and Europe, urban and rural functioning, factors driving the location of enterprise, quality of life issues, infrastructure and environmental protection were analysed and assessed.
Based on the information which has been collected, my Department is preparing a series of spatial policy indication papers setting out the possible choices and opportunities for promoting new patterns of development throughout Ireland over the next 20 years to support the achievement of more balanced regional development through developing the potential of the country as a whole. The issues which these spatial policy indication papers will address will include the role of economic activity in progressing towards spatial balance; improving quality of life through spatial balance; sustainable development and spatial balance; the question of improving the spatial linkages, connections and co-operative arrangements with Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom and Europe and the implementation of the national spatial strategy.
The policy papers will be published in the second half of June. Their publication will be followed by an intense period of consultation with regional and local interests, the social partners, sustainable development partners and other representative groups. Following that, and taking account of the responses and views received during the consultation phase, the proposals for inclusion in the strategy will be further developed with a view to having the strategy submitted to the Government for approval in late autumn and published by the end of the year.