Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy John Gormley. The city and county development plans of the relevant local authorities provide the primary land use protection policies for the Liffey Valley. In addition, parts of the Liffey Valley are already covered by special designations. For example, the area between Chapelizod and Lucan is protected by a special area amenity order, SAAO, and part of the valley is also designated as a proposed natural heritage area.

It is an objective of South Dublin County Council's current development plan to investigate the feasibility of extending the special amenity area order to further lands, including part or all of St. Edmondsbury and Woodville lands. The council's draft development plan for 2010 to 2016 outlines specific objectives to preserve and enhance the character and special features of the Lucan bridge to Palmerstown special amenity area, actively investigate the feasibility of extending the Liffey Valley SAAO to include lands from the Dublin City Council boundary to the boundary with County Kildare and pursue the expansion of the existing SAAO in the area as set out by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The protection of the Liffey Valley, which is a major amenity for the people of Dublin, and the extension of the SAAO are objectives which we share.

Accordingly, in September 2008 the Minister requested South Dublin County Council to arrange for an evaluation of lands between Palmerstown and Lucan bridge, the existing area of special amenity and the N4, Old Lucan Road and Old Hill Road in order to assess the suitability of some or all of these lands for designation as a new area of special amenity, having regard to the provisions of section 202 of the Planning and Development Act.

South Dublin County Council subsequently submitted a report on the matter. This has been considered in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and it is intended to request the council to give further consideration to the extent of lands that might be included in such an area. In February 2009, the Department requested Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Kildare County Council to carry out evaluations of lands in the Liffey Valley which fall within their functional areas in order to assess the suitability of some or all of these lands being designated as part of an extended area of special amenity. Responses have been received from each of these planning authorities and are under consideration.

In finalising its consideration of the relevant information provided by the planning authorities and taking account of other representations on the matter, the Department will shortly decide whether to issue a direction under section 202(2) of the Act regarding the making of a further special amenity area order or orders in the area.

On the broader question of the provision of a national park in the Liffey Valley, a strategy document, Towards a Liffey Valley Park, was prepared by consultants under the guidance of a steering group set up by the OPW and was published in November 2006. Fingal, South Dublin and Kildare county councils and Dublin City Council were also represented on the steering group. The document set out a strategy to provide an integrated management framework for the Liffey Valley and create a process for the establishment of a Liffey Valley Park composed of a necklace of publically owned spaces within the area. The report did not recommend the designation of the Liffey Valley as a national park, since the designation is a non-statutory designation used to encompass State lands. Nonetheless, there is scope to create and develop a non-statutorily based park in the area comprising State-owned and other lands. The Minister expects the local authorities concerned to progress this matter.