Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We have had a good debate and I thank Deputy Cowen for facilitating that.

The context in which all of us are speaking is the economic collapse. The doughnut effect, whereby much is happening at the edges of towns and cities and not much in the centre, coupled with the economic collapse, has meant that the life has been sucked out of many of our town and city centres. People have less money in their pockets and understandably, as Deputy Feighan just stated, they will go to the cheaper shops and to places where there is no charge for parking. We must address that issue, and the most important way we can address it is through economic recovery, on which the Government is working.

Regarding the specifics of what we are doing in the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, in my role as Minister with responsibility for planning, everything I am doing is to ensure that town centres are given priority, whether that be in the retail planning guidelines, the development contribution guidelines or the way we operate the planning and development legislation requiring local authorities to have core strategies. That means that what can be done in the centre should be done in the centre.

Zoning in respect of out-of-town activity is only for activities that cannot be done in the centre. That is our policy, and I have used my powers under the Planning and Development Act to require local authorities not to zone inappropriately, which would add to the problem of the life being sucked out of town centres. One aspect of the reform of local government is the establishment of municipal districts, whose role will be to co-ordinate and ensure that our towns are focused on in an appropriate way.

Many good suggestions were put forward in the debate from all Deputies. The issue with regard to Dublin raised by Deputy Kevin Humphreys and Deputy Finian McGrath is a specific one that must be considered. Deputy Wallace raised the issues of social mix and social housing. I assure the Deputy that we have begun the construction of mainstream housing again, and funding of €30 million was announced for that in the budget. We want to use brownfield sites and construct these houses on sites in towns or cities, not on greenfield sites. We also want to bring some empty houses back into use in our town and city centres.

Deputy Stanley and others spoke about enlivening our cities in various ways and encouraging people to live in towns. The purpose of the Living City initiative, which was announced in last year's budget and added to in this year's budget, is to encourage people to live in city centres. Admittedly, it is focused currently on cities, but it was expanded this year to include a number of other cities that were not in the initial scheme.

In my city - Deputy Humphreys referred to Limerick also - we have a scheme ongoing whereby if empty properties are used by artists they are given the use of those free of charge and, in return, there is a waiving of rates for the owner of the property. Galway has now adopted that scheme also. There is a level of flexibility that can be used that will incentivise the use of such buildings.

A Member referred to stronger civic engagement. We see examples of towns that work very well where people come together and do tremendous work. In my city I have seen a huge difference due to the various organisations coming together to ensure they all work as one to develop the community through activities and so on.

All the structures we are implementing through the local government reform programme, and that I am operating as Minister with responsibility for planning, are designed to achieve what Deputy Cowen wants to achieve in the Bill. Putting in another layer would be confusing because the municipal districts, and the elected representatives of those municipal districts, have powers and responsibilities. There are also chambers of commerce and other bodies.

I believe the structures being put in place are appropriate.

It is the local authority elected members who should be leading the process. As I said, it will involve community consultation and, as such, will facilitate what Deputy Cowen is seeking to achieve in this legislation. I thank him for the opportunity to debate these proposals. Unfortunately, however, I do not intend to support the Bill.

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