John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. We have spoken several times about this. He is passionate and anxious to see what has been agreed under the NPF translated into the local development plans, as am I and as is the Minister.

The final revised NPF was approved by Government in April and passed by the Oireachtas last week. This concluded the revision process and allows the revised NPF to take effect in the planning system. The revised NPF provides the basis for the review and updating of regional spatial and economic strategies and local authority development plans to reflect matters such as updated housing figures, projected jobs growth and renewable energy capacity allocations, including through the zoning of land for residential, employment and a range of other purposes. The revised NPF facilitates planning for the delivery of in excess of 50,000 additional housing units per annum nationally, every year to 2040.

Given the urgent need to ensure that the updated housing requirements can be incorporated into the planning system as quickly as possible to address housing need and demand, local authorities will be required to vary their current development plans, in line with a clear policy direction, which I intend to issue in the coming weeks. The provision of updated planned housing requirements on a local authority by local authority basis will also ensure that sufficient headroom is given to ensure competition and choice is available to those who wish to bring forward proposed housing developments. This is a key priority for us in government. We want to see what has been agreed under the NPF translated to a local basis as urgently as possible. I will inform local authorities of that in the coming weeks.

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