Department of Transport: 2004

Single Land-Use Authority

10 March 2004

Dáil Question
No: _______

To ask the Minister for Transport the position in regard to his announced plans for a new authority to govern land use and transport in the greater Dublin area; the effect that these plans will have for Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- John Bruton.
For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 10th March, 2004.
Ref No: 8381/04 Order: 201

BROUGHT FORWARD FROM (White No. / DFA) 624, 16/03/2004 FOR ANSWER WITH (Question No) Link to be established
Answered by the Minister for Transport
(Séamus Brennan)

REPLY

The Government consultation paper New Institutional Arrangements for Land-Use and Transport in the Greater Dublin Area was published jointly by the Departments of the Environment and Local Government and Public Enterprise in April, 2001.

The paper proposed the establishment of a new strategic land use and transportation planning authority for the Greater Dublin Area.
Developments since the publication of this consultation document have caused me to review its proposals.

The regional authorities are currently finalising regional planning guidelines under the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000. These will provide effective regional land use strategies consistent with the National Spatial Strategy. The Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities are collaborating to produce a single set of Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area.

With regard to transport planning the DTO is continuing to carry out effective strategic transport planning for the Greater Dublin Area.
Also, I have concluded that the establishment of an independent national public transport procurement and regulatory body is the most effective way of implementing regulatory reform.

In the light of these developments I believe that the policy objectives of effective land use and transport planning can, for the present, be successfully addressed within these existing structures. I do not, therefore, believe that it is a priority to establish a strategic land use and transportation authority for the Greater Dublin Area.

I do not consider that the proposals for a strategic land use and transportation authority for the Greater Dublin Area would have any impact on the role of Dáil Éireann.