Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 February 2023
108. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the process by which he has directed the Chief Executive of Galway City Council to reverse the rezoning changes that councillors made to the Draft City Development Plan; if affected landowners have an avenue to make inquiries in relation to this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5043/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has a statutory role in the plan making process of a local authority. It is a core function of the OPR to independently evaluate all local authority and regional assembly statutory plans, including county and city development plans, local area plans (LAPs) and regional spatial and economic strategies (RSESs).
The OPR provides observations and recommendations during the drafting of statutory plans. In cases where the OPR finds that a local authority's plans are ultimately not consistent with relevant regional or national policies, the OPR can recommend the use of Ministerial powers of direction, in accordance with Section 31 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) (the Act) to align plans with statutory requirements and best practice.
In relation to the Galway City Council Development Plan 2023, the direction process is underway and has not yet concluded. Consequent to a recommendation made to me by the OPR under section 31AM(8) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), I notified Galway City Council on 13 January 2023 of my intention to issue a Direction (a draft of which was included in the notice) to take certain measures specified in the notice in order to ensure that the Galway City Development Plan 2023-2029 is in compliance with the requirements of the Act. Information pertaining to this draft direction is available on Galway City Council’s website at the following link: https://www.galwaycity.ie/development-plan-2023-2029 A public consultation period on the draft direction began on 20January 2023 and is due to conclude on Friday 3February 2023 at 4pm.
The Chief Executive’s report is to be prepared further to the public consultation period in accordance with Section 31(8) of the Act, and must be furnished to the OPR, the elected members, and me as Minister, no later than 4 weeks after the public consultation process is completed, for further consideration. In addition, the elected members of Galway City Council may make a submission to the OPR at any time up to the conclusion of the 2 week public consultation period referred to above and must also send any such submissions to me. The OPR must then consider the Chief Executive’s report together with any submissions made and will make a further recommendation to me, regarding whether the Direction is to be issued with or without minor amendments, or not issued. Where I, as Minister, am in agreement with the further recommendation, the final Direction may issue.
It is important to note that this process remains ongoing and has not yet concluded and I am not, therefore, in a position to comment any further at present.
