Ms Alma Walsh:

I thank the committee members for their questions. On the latter question, in positioning how the planning system will respond to the crisis of the Gaeltacht, as characterised by Deputy Connolly, there are two elements. There is the process and the guidelines piece. Where we can take effect immediately in the process are some of the matters that have been touched on by my colleagues and the Minister. The language assessment and the planning referrals, in particular, are immediate interventions that are positive to the system and can improve and create a good evidence base and standardise the process across the eight local authorities.

The other piece is on the section 28 guidelines. In our advanced drafting of that piece of work, there are two elements to that. First are the rural housing guidelines, which the members will be aware are not exclusive to the eight local authorities and apply to about 28 or 29 local authorities throughout the country where there is a rural housing policy. The second set of guidelines, the draft development planning guidelines referred to by Mr. Hogan, are almost near completion. They are to guide the 31 local authorities in their development plan review process.

That takes me to the question about the local authorities where Gaeltacht areas are located. One of the eight has completed its development plan review process, there is one that has not commenced it as of yet and is due to do so in May, and there are six currently under review. The Deputy is absolutely right in the sense that the section 28 guidelines may not be available to those local authorities or may not be completed by the time they have completed their development plan review. However, there are legislative mechanisms in place to address that through the variation process under section 13 of the Act. As part of our engagement, through the working group, with those eight local authorities, we see that forum as being essential to address matters such as this in Gaeltacht areas. While the elected members of a local authority can trigger or request a need for a variation, as part of our engagement we can influence and, with agreement and discussion with those eight local authorities, bring in changes. The third piece of that series relates to the overall section 28 guidelines to which the Minister has committed specifically for the Gaeltacht.

This is a staged process with immediate interventions available to us now and with complex considerations to be brought into the section 28 guidelines. We acknowledge that, across the rural housing guidelines, the development plan guidelines, and the Gaeltacht guidelines separately, a real synthesis and a balance must be struck around meeting the needs of the locals and the Gaeltacht communities for housing, education and other public services across the board. We are committed to it on that front and committed to working with the local authorities. This is the first time there has been a real concerted effort. We are grateful to our colleagues in the Department with responsibility for an Ghaeltacht for working with us in that regard. We will see this work continue throughout the year and after the finalisation of any section 28 guidelines to ensure these matters are addressed comprehensively.