Michael Brennan (Progressive Democrats)

I move:

"That Seanad Éireann:

recognises that Ireland's record levels of economic and population growth creates the challenge of meeting record housing accommodation demand across the country;

notes the Government's ongoing commitment to a modern planning system, which is strategic in approach and reflects the requirement for sustainable development and which delivers a performance of the highest quality;

supports the measures taken to date by Government to ensure such a system is in place;

commends the Government on the publication of finalised sustainable rural housing guidelines for planning authorities in April 2005;

notes the Government's recognition of the strong and continuing tradition of Irish people living in rural areas;

asks the Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government to:

consider establishing an independent national planning monitoring committee on a statutory basis to, inter alia, advise the Minister on matters relating to planning policy, advise and assist local public representatives in the preparation of local planning policy and development plans, and regulate the implementation of Government policy and guidelines in relation to rural housing;

look at the need for a national water and sewerage services authority, similar to that which exists for national roads and group water schemes, to ensure the provision of an adequate and efficient network of water and sewerage infrastructure, with regional offices responsible for the planning, delivery and maintenance of water and sewerage infrastructure, and to implement water services investment programmes;

examine the appropriateness of the present definition of the word "local" in the rural housing guidelines for planning authorities, to end any inconsistency surrounding its use;

consider widening the interpretation of "housing need" in planning guidelines, to ensure equity and consistency;

address the situation where farming is seen as the only profession that qualifies a person for planning permission in rural areas;

investigate the desirability of an independent appeal boards within An Bord Pleanála to cover the three EU constituencies outside Dublin;

consider publication on the internet of information about the success rate of planning applications submitted by engineers and architects; and

contemplate how planning restrictions which may hinder a person seeking planning permission for a house specially designed to accommodate a person with a disability, might be removed."

I am pleased to move this Progressive Democrats motion and I welcome the Minister to the House. The motion proposed by my party reflects our contention that planning and development are key issues for communities across this country. Ireland's people want and deserve a planning system that meets their needs for local economic development, for a good supply of affordable housing and for enhanced quality of life. The correct planning law and the enforcement of subsequent decisions is critical to public confidence in local government. This starts with political direction and political will and the Progressive Democrats is dedicated to providing this leadership.

The Progressive Democrats is not in favour of unrestricted housing development and does not believe that people have the right to build wherever and in whatever style they like. We do not underestimate the important steps taken by the Government in the past ten years. We support fairness, choice and sustainability. We have worked with our partners in the Government to ensure Irish people have access to a planning system with these qualities, to a modern planning system that is strategic in approach, which reflects the requirements for sustainable development and which delivers a performance of the highest quality. I commend this Government and the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the measures taken to date to ensure such a system is in place.

The House should congratulate the Government for its ongoing recognition of the strong and continuing tradition of Irish people living in rural areas. We do so in the full knowledge of increased challenges. Ireland's record levels of economic and population growth create great challenges, such as meeting record housing accommodation demand across the country. Challenges of balanced and sustainable development must continue to be met head on and this underpins my party's approach and the policy of the Government.

Planning for a Rural Future is the title of the Progressive Democrats' policy document on rural housing, which was launched by the Tánaiste and by our policy group on rural planning at the ploughing championships in Tullow in late September. I congratulate our policy team for its diligent work on this topic, which consisted of the chairman, Deputy Grealish, Councillor Ciaran Cannon, Mr. Jim Cuddy and Councillor Thomas Welby. Our policy is based on the fundamental principle that local people who live and work in an area, or have strong family ties with an area, are entitled to build homes in that area unless there are compelling safety or environmental reasons they should not do so. In our document, we acknowledge the congruence of our objective with that of successive Governments and which is also at the core of the Minister's guidelines for rural housing. However, my party believes that the guidelines, while well intentioned, are too vague and open to different interpretations by planners. They are lacking in the necessary detail to cement the rights of rural people to remain living within their own communities.

The motion asks the House to call on the Minister to examine some key issues, namely, consideration of an independent national planning monitoring committee; the idea of a national water and sewerage services authority; the appropriateness of the present definition of the word "local" in the rural housing guidelines; the interpretation of the term "housing need" and why farming is seen as the only profession that allows a person to qualify for planning permission; the desirability of an independent appeal boards within An Bord Pleanála; publication of information about the success rate of planning applications, and details of pre-planning meetings to be included in planning files; and simplifying the planning permission process for a house specially designed to accommodate a person with a disability. My party colleague, Senator Minihan, will expand on the third and subsequent points, while I will deal with the first two substantive issues.

We ask the Minister to consider establishing an independent national planning monitoring committee on a statutory basis. It is hoped that this committee could advise the Minister on matters relating to planning policy, and advise and assist local public representatives in the preparation of local planning policy and development plans. It would have an overall regulatory role in the implementation of Government policy and guidelines on rural housing. While the Department already plays a monitoring role regarding local authorities, this new body could act as a liaison between the Department and the elected representatives on councils. The committee could help elected members implement directives from the Department, as well as identify and resolve local obstacles in the way of implementation. The Minister and Members of the House will be aware that when it comes to the drafting of local development plans, councillors are entitled to consult and seek advice from local private planning experts, separate from local authority planners. However, councillors must pay for this service. The establishment of this new committee would meet that requirement. The Progressive Democrats Party is of the view that if the Minister establishes this body on a statutory basis, local authorities will enthusiastically engage with it in the implementation of Government policy and guidelines on rural housing. This must be facilitated, encouraged and welcomed.

In the second substantive point in our motion, the Progressive Democrats Party asks the Minister to examine the need for a national water and sewerage services authority. We envisage something akin to that which exists for national roads, the National Roads Authority, and for group water schemes. This authority would ensure the provision of an adequate and efficient network of water and sewerage infrastructure. We propose that this body would have regional offices and would be responsible for the planning, delivery and maintenance of water and sewerage infrastructure in its region.

It is important that this national water and sewerage services authority would be responsible for the implementation of water services investment programmes. Every Member of this House will be aware of the problems that exist with implementing these investment programmes. Last December, the water services investment programme 2005-2007 set out a comprehensive schedule of new schemes to start over the next two years. The programme is made up of 899 projects with an overall capital value of €5.1 billion. Why is it that local authorities are no nearer to putting many of those schemes out to tender? The latest programme for 2005-2007 contains many of the same projects as the 2004-2006 programme. This is not satisfactory.

The Progressive Democrats Party has three primary concerns. First, rural Ireland may be left behind in the delivery of small schemes in towns and villages. Councils have been told to group schemes but there is still toing and froing between the local authority and the Department. Where rural areas come under the catchment of larger urban centres, they may get left behind. The large population centres get their projects under way while the water and sewerage schemes in the hinterland are stalled or delayed. This certainly has been the case in County Limerick, in Mungret, Patrickswell and Adare, where schemes are delayed.

Second, we are concerned that much needed new developments are being held up because the necessary water and sewerage services are not in place. Local development plans and water services plans do not complement each other at present. Where possible, the plan for water services should be agreed and in place before development is planned.

Our third concern is that where services are absent and yet are included in the water services investment programme, developers install temporary systems and then pass the cost of this onto already hard-pressed home buyers and taxpayers. It is clear to us that this is unsatisfactory. We await the Minister's view on the matter.

My party's motion calls for further reform of the planning process, not for its own sake, but to enhance our planning system further. I suspect that this goal is broadly supported across this House and by the Minister. This is not just a rural issue. As Senator Minihan will make clear in his contribution, the process in place for rural development has real and serious implications for the way our commuter towns, will develop. An optimal rural planning system is necessary to complement proper urban development because they go hand in hand.

The Progressive Democrats Party has examined how the system works and at how it can work better. I move this motion in the confident hope that the Minister will consider it carefully and continue to work with us to improve the planning regime.