Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully understand what is being put forward. There is a bit of hair splitting in this but let me try to be helpful.

This is a question with which we go way back to the start of committee where we have the amendment on the Long Title of the Bill that will be taken last for procedural reasons. For the information of Deputies, it might help on this that the Long Title will be changed to include "development; to provide for proper planning and sustainable development in the interests of the common good;". That will be the new Long Title of the Bill subject to the approval of the committee.

Specifically in relation to this, everything flows from subsections (1) and (2) and I genuinely do not think it can be any clearer than as it is outlined in the section right now. The Bill states, "The National Planning Framework shall contain a statement setting out the Government's broad national plan in relation to the strategic planning and sustainable development of the State" and goes on, under subparagraph (a), "securing national and regional development strategies ...", and, in subparagraph (b), "supporting proper planning and sustainable development in urban and rural areas;". It is well covered within this although Deputy Ó Broin does not believe it is. I firmly believe that it is well and appropriately covered here.

In the interests of clarity around the debate, the Long Title will also clearly guide that it is not planning and development and then, afterward, in some way, one shoehorns sustainability into it.

I have been interested to hear the references on emissions and the climate action plan. Deputy Ó Broin has a different view on the climate action plan because his party opposed it. On climate budgets and all of that, Deputy Ó Broin speaks on one side about climate and the other side when it comes to action. The Deputy does not act upon it. This Government is guided clearly by the Government's climate action plan.

On regional development, in particular, and taking Deputy Cian O'Callaghan's point about historical out-of-town type developments, particularly commercial ones, we are guided completely by the town centre first policy and by looking as well at the further development of brownfield sites within our cities. Hence, I brought forward mechanisms - we could have a whole housing debate here - such as Croí Cónaithe cities which is for apartment developments within our cities focusing on brownfield site development and getting people to live there. Under the town centre first policy, right the way across every local authority, we have town centre first teams. There is what we are doing in tackling vacancy, etc. Sustainability is at the heart of not only the legislation but Government policy right the way through. It is at the core of the national planning framework and is appropriately covered and given the weighting and import that it deserves right here in section 19, Chapter 2. That is my position.