Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

In response to Senator Alex White on amendment No. 28 , this is included on the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel who says it is important to identify that plan so that it cannot be interpreted as any local area plan and that we must insert that into the legislation.

In response to Senator Coffey, this raises the mandatory area for which there must be a plan but it in no way excludes the local authority from having an area plan for a smaller population. Under section 18 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 a planning authority may at any time and for any area within its fundamental area prepare a local area plan in respect of that area and there is no change in that provision. It was at 2,000 but we think it is important to raise the level for the mandatory regulation to 5,000.