Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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10. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if a review of the national spatial strategy will be undertaken to reflect the different circumstances and challenges facing different regions; the timescale of such a review if one is planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19568/14]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Is it intended to review the national spatial strategy and, if so, what is the timescale?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The 2002 national spatial strategy, NSS, was Ireland’s first national strategic spatial planning framework. It aimed to provide the spatial vision and principles to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development and population growth between regions through the co-ordinated development of nine gateway cities and towns and nine hub towns, together with complementary policies to activate the potential for lasting economic development in their hinterlands and wider regions.

While the existing NSS remains in place, I and my colleague the Minister, Deputy Hogan, established in August 2013 a successor national spatial strategy scoping group, comprising three experts with extensive experience of spatial planning and economic and social development, to prepare a short scoping report on the development of a new national planning framework to replace the current NSS.

I received the experts’ scoping report earlier this year and I intend to bring proposals to Government shortly on the road map to develop a new national planning framework that will take account, inter alia, of the significantly changed economic circumstances the country now faces with a view to contributing to sustainable national recovery. The new national planning framework is expected to be finalised by the end of 2015.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for her reply. Did the old national spatial strategy work? Did it deliver what was planned? Galway is a gateway city and we have seen the importance of major cities as economic drivers for regions. The Galway hinterland includes Connemara and people who have traditionally worked in Galway city but live in a rural area. The importance of the gateway as an economic driver needs to be further developed. Foreign direct investors see Galway city as important with regard to a critical mass of population for employment of trained individuals.

The past week has seen contracts signed in respect of the M17-M18 motorway, which will be a great help to the regions and to the west, as well as developments regarding the Government's policy on broadband in that area. While these measures all are important, the importance of the gateways as economic drivers for the regions must be supported fully.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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It is early days as the Government only has to hand the scoping document at present. However, anyone who agrees with and seeks good and proper planning would accept the concept of gateways and the idea of having regions with centres as important economic drivers of those regions as being important principles that work in all countries and which would be a basis of good planning. I do not anticipate any change in direction in respect of having such gateway entrances or centres of economic activity for regions that will work with the economic hinterland surrounding them. However, the Government intends to have wide consultation with all interested parties, including both the public and significant organisations that have an interest in this area. The Government intends to have a conversation on how the country has changed and on whether there are lessons to be learned from the previous strategy, as well as from actions that were taken subsequent to the previous strategy such as the decentralisation policy, which did not appear to relate greatly to what actually was contained in the national spatial strategy. It is important to have a good national spatial plan that works for the country, that identifies the strengths of different regions, that develops those strengths and has a plan and a policy that is clear and which links into all the other agencies of the State, Departments and so on in order that there is a coherent policy and planning basis on which the country will be developed into the future.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for her statement and welcome her views. At present, 50% of the country's population resides in the Leinster area. The challenge ahead will be to prevent that area from growing further at the expense of the regions and, consequently, the future spatial strategy will be of great importance to the future of the west. I welcome the consultation and again welcome the Minister of State's understanding of the importance of the gateways.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Briefly, I agree with the Deputy that there always is a danger in any country that the capital city becomes the centre and the regions are not supported adequately. I certainly share the Deputy's view that one must ensure the strategy contains strong recognition that strong regions are needed throughout the country, west, north, south and east-----

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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And the midlands.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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-----and that policies are put in place to ensure those strengths are developed.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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As Question No. 11 is in the name of Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, who is not present, it cannot be taken.