Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

The proposal to raise the mandatory population threshold for preparing local area plans from 2,000 to 5,000 persons provoked some good discussion. I recognise the issues raised as to the possibility of no new local area plans being put forward in some instances because the population may fall below the threshold, even though a local area plan would have been prepared previously for an area. I am therefore minded to give this matter further consideration with a view to, if necessary, bringing forward a proposal on Committee Stage in the Dáil and reporting back to the Seanad at a later stage in light of the discussion initiated here on Committee Stage and today.