Ciarán Cannon (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 22:

In page 26, lines 8 and 9, to delete all words from and including "(other" in line 8 down to and including "GDA)" in line 9.

Members will agree that the general intent behind this legislation is twofold, namely, to establish the public transport needs of the entire country and to address and provide solutions in respect of those needs. The thrust of the amendments is to try to ensure the research process relating to establishing the public transport needs to which I refer will be successful and that it will involve regional and local authorities, including county and town councils.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who researches town planning and town developments throughout Europe. He always has been fascinated by what happens in other countries, particularly Germany and the Netherlands, where towns are built on the basis that the infrastructure needed to service such towns is put in place first. I recall seeing some photographs he had taken of a new town being built in Germany, that had been designed to accommodate 3,000 to 4,000 people, in which the streets, public transport system, lighting, sewerage and water all were in place before the erection of solitary apartment block anywhere in that town. In Ireland, we have never subscribed to that particular method of planning and perhaps it now is somewhat too late to so do. However, this is an instance in which we should try to take into account the best possible aspects of international practice when drafting this legislation. As for the proposed inclusion in the 2000 Act of the new section 25(3B) in particular, I question why the legislation seeks to exclude the authorities within the greater Dublin area, GDA, from this process. Although the GDA has had its own process up and running since the passage of the most recent legislation, given that Ireland is a country of only 4 million people, I wonder why the research process between the greater Dublin area and the rest of the country is not integrated. The second amendment seeks to include in the drawing up of regional planning strategies both regional and local authorities, to include county, city and local area plans. This is the thrust of the amendments that have been tabled and I look forward to the Minister of State's response.