Oireachtas Environment Committee engages in wide ranging discussion on retail planning with Northern Ireland Environment Committee

4 October 2012


The meeting, co-hosted by both Committees, heard from retail and town planning experts, Dr Karise Hutchinson and Dr Donna Mac Guinness who addressed a number of issues including the principles of good urban development.

Representatives from the Planning Service in Northern Ireland, the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government in the Republic of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association, the Irish Business and Employers’ Confederation, the Town Centre Managers’ Forum and Retail Excellence Ireland also addressed and participated in the discussion.

MLAs, MPs, Senators and TDs from border constituencies and representatives of local authorities along the border also attended in the discussion.

Cathaoirleach of the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht, Ciaran Lynch, TD said: “Today was an opportunity for members of both Committees to meet with each other and with business organisations, retail and town planning experts and representatives from border areas to discuss planning issues, particularly the impact of town planning guidelines on town centres.

In the course of a very positive and constructive meeting, we carefully examined the implications of planning guidelines and decisions on border towns and regions. Both sides identified areas where problems exist but also where there are opportunities to learn from each other.

I will be recommending to my Committee that we ask our Minister to raise with his counterpart the possibility of developing what we have started here further. I think there is great scope for working together, identifying similar problems and coming up with similar solutions. I hope that we would do this and I look forward to working with all interested groups in helping to enhance the local economy in the border region.

I would particularly encourage the business organisations represented at the meeting today to work together in putting proposals before both our committee and our colleagues in the North of Ireland that will address the issues and facilitate politicians in dealing with them.

Finally, I would like to Anna Lo, Chairperson of the Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for the Environment and her committee members for facilitating this very successful and informative event in Enniskillen.”

Ends

Membership of the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht

Deputies: James Bannon TD (Fine Gael); Paudie Coffey TD (Fine Gael); Niall Collins TD (Fianna Fáil); Noel Coonan (Fine Gael) Leas-Chathaoirleach; Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (Fine Gael); Luke Flanagan TD (Independent); Kevin Humphreys TD (Labour); Ciarán Lynch TD (Labour) Cathaoirleach; Sandra Mc Lellan TD (Sinn Féin); Tony Mc Loughlin TD (Fine Gael); Michelle Mulherin TD (Fine Gael); Catherine Murphy TD (Independent); Gerald Nash TD (Labour); Brian Stanley TD (Sinn Féin); Robert Troy TD (Fianna Fáil).

Senators: Senator Cáit Keane (Fine Gael) Senator Denis Landy (Labour); An Seanadóir Fiach Mac Conghail (Neamhspleách); Senator Catherine Noone (Fine Gael); An Seanadóir Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fáil): Senator Ned O’Sullivan (Fianna Fáil).

Media enquiries to:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Email: Ciaran.brennan@oireachtas.ie