Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy. The programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase, led by the EPA, was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering.

The final report for phase 2 - the report the Deputy referred to - is entitled A Living Land and has been received by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon; the Minister of State with responsibility for housing, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan; and myself for consideration. I was also briefed directly on it and met Geraldine Tallon, chair of the oversight group, who carried out some excellent work. I thank her for the work she has done.

The purpose of phase 2 was to compile an evidence base and to present a framework to inform and support policymakers like us and landholders in decisions about future land use in the context of achieving Ireland’s agricultural, socioeconomic, climate and environmental objectives. As part of the review process, the citizen engagement working group proposed that there should be a focus on what can be learned from existing and emerging place-based pilots and programmes. The review highlights learning from multiple excellent examples of creative and inspiring community- and farm-level projects that are addressing and delivering on environmental and socioeconomic objectives.

Analysis of national and international best practice is a key feature of this report. While A Living Land is not an articulation of Government policy or strategy on land use, given the many economic, environmental and social considerations to be balanced when considering land use, the report will inform and support future considerations. The report also outlines the importance of Government leadership in leveraging the role of State-owned lands to achieve integrated land use objectives and the role that public bodies can play in this.

I am working with ministerial colleagues with a view to publishing the report very shortly. I expect to publish it in advance of the end of this year. It is a detailed report. There is very good work in it and practical examples that we could scale up across the country.

See this speech in context