Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Broughan for raising this matter.

While specific responsibility for the planning and delivery of the north fringe development rests with the local authorities involved, namely, Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, at a national policy level, the achievement of sustainable communities is a key objective for the Government. New development must be more than just the provision of housing. Key infrastructure such as roads, water and waste water services, together with essential social, economic and amenity infrastructure and facilities, must anticipate and not follow the delivery of new housing.

The north fringe framework development plan, which was prepared by Dublin City Council in 2000, sets out the objectives for the area, the site context and the urban design framework. The plan emphasises the need for a quality bus service and the provision of community facilities, including schools, a library, sports and community facilities and public spaces, which will serve the anticipated 30,000 or so people who will ultimately live in the area. Planning permissions in the north fringe have been granted in line with the framework plan and, as such, it is clear that the provision of the community facilities mentioned in tandem with the housing development is seen as key in the development of the area.

Latest reports from the councils indicate that approximately 2,000 units are occupied and that a further 500 will be ready for occupation by the end of the year. The overall roll-out and timing of these private developments will be guided by the demand for housing and other market forces.

In these challenging economic times, the Government is determined to identify more joined-up and cost-effective ways of ensuring that developing areas benefit from the range of physical and social infrastructures that are critical to securing sustainable communities. Under my developing areas initiative, I am supporting work at central and local government level to ensure better co-ordination and timely delivery of key infrastructure and services, in parallel with housing, in fast growing strategic locations within the national spatial strategy, NSS, gateways and hubs. For example, community service shared campuses where people can easily access schools, library, sports and community services, should be located at the heart of new communities. While the public sector can deliver the joined-up thinking to make this happen, partnership with the private sector is critical in making it viable and deliverable as part of a broader roll-out of services.

In conjunction with this initiative, my Department has produced a suite of planning guidance measures to promote the highest possible standards in residential development and ensure access to the requisite range of public services and facilities. Guidance documents such as "Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities" and new draft planning guidelines on sustainable residential development in urban areas focus on the process surrounding the delivery of quality housing for sustainable communities and the promotion of better place-making through integrated planning and the delivery of quality neighbourhoods and homes.

A north fringe cross-authority-agency forum has been established to monitor progress in the north fringe. Membership of this forum includes senior officials from the two councils and representatives from local residents' groups and from statutory bodies such as the HSE, the Department of Education and Science, An Garda Síochána and public transport providers. I understand Deputy Broughan is also a member of the forum. Agreement has been reached, through the forum, on delivery of a broad range of public and community services such as the identification of sites for schools, a health centre and a Garda station. This is a viable and effective approach to ensure that development of the north fringe continues to integrate social and economic infrastructure and creates sustainable communities for the future.

As the Minister of State with responsibility for developing areas, I will visit the area in question in order to investigation the situation that obtains there. I will discuss the matter further with the Deputy.

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