Vol. 540 No. 1
114 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will introduce an appeals system for those small towns and villages which did not qualify under the terms of the town renewal scheme; and in particular, if he will have the case of Tallow, County Waterford, examined. [19798/01]
Under the Town Renewal Act, 2000, it is a matter for the relevant local authorities to propose sites for designation for tax incentives within the area covered by town renewal plans.
In doing so, local authorities are assisted by the detailed guidelines issued to them by my Department. These set out the purposes and aims of the town renewal scheme, the criteria to be used in selecting towns for which plans are to be prepared and advice on the approach to be followed in preparing their plans, including selecting sites for designation. Local authorities were advised that the extent of proposed designation must necessarily be limited and well targeted and that only sites that clearly fulfilled the objectives of the plan should be proposed for designation.
The role of the expert panel was to assess proposals from local authorities and to recommend sites for designation on the basis of the plans submitted. The panel comprised individuals with a broad range of relevant expertise in urban planning, architecture, conservation etc. and was confined to examining the sites recommended by the local authorities by reference to the criteria contained in the guidelines.
In the course of its examination of plans, the panel sought clarification from local authorities on various issues where this was considered necessary. The expert advisory panel exercised an independent role in assessing the plans submitted and making recommendations on the sites to be designated. In the case of Tallow, 12 of the 14 sites proposed for designation by Waterford County Council were granted most or all of the incentives requested and designations are now being implemented accordingly. It is not proposed to make further designations under the scheme.
The designation process described above has been carefully structured and I do not consider that it requires or could practically accommodate the addition of an appeals system.
