Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Díreoidh mé ar leasuithe Uimh. 182 agus 194 ach go háirithe. Under this section, headed "Procedure for review of National Planning Framework", the Minister is required to make provision for public consultation. We accept that. A list of those who would be consulted is included in the section. It includes Members of the Oireachtas and regional assemblies. We suggest that the wording "board members of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, the Minister responsible for the Gaeltacht and Language Planning Officers,” also be included. This is a discussion we had when dealing with similar amendments in other spaces. The Minister said that he would look again to see who would be consulted. Given the statutory nature of Údarás na Gaeltachta, the fact that it is now moving towards being an AHB or a facilitator of AHBs in the area of housing provision under the Minister's pilot programme and the fact that it is the organisation that attracts, locates and promotes industries in Gaeltacht areas and as such plays such an important role, it should have a role in any review of the national planning framework.

Amendment No. 194 seeks to ensure that when the Government is having regard to other plans and documents in reviewing the national planning framework, it is not just maritime planning, land-use planning, strategic planning, spatial planning, economic planning and territorial planning that are involved and that another aspect is also recognised. I refer to language planning, which is now key and central not only to the protection of Gaeltacht areas and the Gaeltacht as a whole, but also to the expanded area of líonraí Gaeilge agus bailte seirbhíse Gaeltachta. Tá an dá leasú seo an-tábhachtach chun aitheantas a thabhairt. Níl siad ag cur aon bhac ná ualach breise ar an Stát toisc go mbeidh an comhairliúchán seo maidir leis an gcreat náisiúnta pleanála ag tarlú anyway. Ciallaíonn an leasú go mbeadh ról lárnach ag an bpleanáil teanga ó thús báire agus go dtabharfaí aitheantas cuí dó seachas, mar is gnáth go dtí seo, go smaoineofaí air i ndiaidh an bheartais. Ní rud mór millteach atá ann.

I leasú eile, Uimh. 183, atá thíos inár n-ainmneacha agus in ainm an Teachta Cian O'Callaghan, déanann muid cinnte nach ndéantar comhairliúchán leis na gnátheagrais a bhí gafa le pleanáil náisiúnta nó a raibh a dtuairimí lorgtha roimhe seo amháin. We ensure that the prescribed bodies include other "bodies with a remit to protect the natural environment, the built environment, archaeological and historic heritage, cultural heritage". They are key and should have a role in providing input into the national planning framework at an early stage. Similar to what I have said in respect of the Irish language, it is again vital that the opinions of those bodies are not seen as an afterthought, which leads to those very important views being ignored or to those bodies having to scramble to try to be included or considered. Often, they are just an afterthought and not central to the initial planning.

Our architecture, our environment and our cultural heritage are central not only to ourselves, but to the Irish nation throughout the world who come back to our shores to enjoy our tourism offering and our heritage. It is important that we recognise that and plan to enhance it, protect it and, as a society, benefit from what is there at the moment, which could be undermined if the planning framework was at odds with those protections.

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