Ms Alma Walsh:

As a point of clarification, there is material available on the npf.ie website, to which is uploaded the specific amendments that have been applied. That is available to any viewer to access and see where the amendments have been made. The Deputy is absolutely right about the assessment that has been undertaken of the national policy objectives, NPOs, and the national strategic outcomes, NSOs, in determining what is required to be amended as part of this revision. There were some that have been fulfilled and completed in respect of matters related to, for example, the establishment of the Land Development Agency, LDA, and those updating pieces, where there have been deletions or amendments to those.

Overall, however, and to answer the Deputy's question about the report of the expert group, by and large, the principles-based focus of the strategy and, in particular, the core objectives related to balanced regional development, and the 50:50 and compact growth targets have largely been retained. The actual strategy piece has been retained on the basis that it is sound for the purposes of a long-term strategy. Specific amendments to the NPOs were required to be made on the basis of the response to the updates and to the population projections, for example, and how that had to be reflected across the regions and across the cities.

The other matter of policy change which the NPF has introduced as part of this revision relates to the introduction of the renewable energy capacity allocations for each of the regions. They are some of the more substantive amendments. I refer to the material available on the website, coupled with the expert group report. We can seek to make further clarifications and offer a full summary to the committee to support its understanding of what has changed.