Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and giving me an opportunity to set out the position in respect of this matter.

In the first instance, I wish to clarify that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government does not have a role in imposing a so-called "no fry zones" in particular areas. However, the Department has a role in advising planning authorities, through statutory guidelines, as regards the structure and content of their local area plans. In this regard, I confirm that the Department has advised planning authorities that in adopting local area plans for their areas, that they may, in certain circumstances, adopt policies to curtail an excessive concentrations of takeaways in particular areas. The advice given was outlined in planning guidelines on local area plans published in June 2013 and to which planning authorities must have regard to in the discharge of their functions under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.

These guidelines recognise the important role of planning in promoting and facilitating active and healthy living patterns for local communities. For example, section 5 of these guidelines offers advice regarding the structure and content of local area plans and sets out a range of policies that can be put in place to promote and facilitate active and healthy living patterns. These include: promoting of walking and cycling as modes of transport; accessibility to public open spaces, recreation and sports facilities; proximity of new development to sustainable travel modes; provision of play areas; and careful consideration of the appropriateness of the location of fast food outlets in the vicinity of schools and parks.One particular effect of these guidelines with regard to fast food outlets is that consideration be given to the appropriateness of their location in the vicinity of schools and parks, for example, in a new development area, while at the same time taking account of wider land use considerations. However, with regard to the many schools located in or near town centres, restrictions of fast food outlets in such situations must be considered carefully on a case-by-case basis in view of the mix of existing use typically found in core urban areas.

In addition, planning policies with regard to the location of fast food outlets must be considered within the wider policy context of practical steps that can be taken to promote more widely and facilitate active healthy living patterns by enhancing the scope for activities such as walking, cycling, sports and active leisure pursuits and their associated facilities.

I do not merely speak with regard to the Department's position but that of all Departments when stating the pursuit of healthy lifestyles requires a holistic approach that requires a much broader public health discussion. I am confident, however, that the guidance the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government offers to planning authorities in this regard fulfils an important role in achieving that goal. I thank the Senator.