Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 March 2009
504 Deputy Paul Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will clarify the process that schools applying for planning permission have to go through local authorities; if there are plans to speed this process up further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9594/09]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position generally regarding the planning process for school building projects is that schools must comply with the requirements of the Local Government Planning and Development Acts. However there has been some recent changes to the legislation which has provided certain exemptions for temporary schools. (These are prescribed in Statutory Instrument 235 of 2008).
Also in relation to the wider matters of school provision and the planning process, on 1 August 2008, together with Mr. John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Mr. Michael Finneran, T.D., Minister of State with responsibility for Housing, Urban Renewal and Developing Areas, announced the publication of a Code of Practice on the Provision of Schools and the Planning System.
The Code of Practice which was agreed between the two Departments, in conjunction with the City and County Managers' Association, sets out the roles, responsibilities and specific actions to be taken in relation to forecasting future demand for school places and planning for schools provision through the development plan, local area plan and development management processes. The Code of Practice, which is issued as statutory guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, is part of a wider package of initiatives designed to facilitate the provision of schools and schools-related infrastructure within the planning system.
The Code of Practice will help to ensure best practice approaches are followed by planning authorities in facilitating the timely and cost-effective roll-out of school facilities by the Department of Education and Science. The Code of Practice builds on guidance provided in the Department's June 2007 Development Plan Guidelines and outlines the principles and scope for integrating schools provision with the development plan process and, in particular, in linking anticipated levels of demand for school places with housing strategies and the provision of large-scale residential developments.
One of the Code of Practice's core objectives is that the provision of any new schools should be driven by and emerge from an integrated approach between the planning functions of planning authorities and the Department of Education and Science, and that planning authorities will co-operate and co-ordinate with the Department of Education and Science in ensuring the timely delivery of schools.
My Department consults regularly with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, on planning matters so as to ensure the smoothing of any issues that might arise during the planning application stage. Ultimately any changes in the planning process and legislation are a matter for that Department.
