Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his willingness to engage with me, Senator Boyhan and others in relation to amendments Nos. 7 and 10 on the local development plans. I look forward to a positive outcome on those coming through on Report Stage. I also thank him for accepting amendment No. 13. It is important in terms of the transparency of the process.

I urge the Minister to consider amendments Nos. 7 and 8 between now and Report Stage because, while some of the other issues might relate to general planning policy, not all projects are the same. The reason that an entirely different route of planning is being proposed for these strategic residential developments is that they are large-scale residential developments and are playing a strategic role. I suggest the strategic role they need to play is not limited to complying with standards and regulations. If these are big building blocks in the future of our country, we should get them right when it comes to disability, climate and environment. We should look for these large unit decisions to reflect, not just compliance with regulations, but best practice. We cannot afford to sign off on lots of large-scale residential developments under the regulations we have now, which involve minimal requirements. We know Part M is inadequate and not exactly where it should be. Universal design has the scope to take us much further. Similarly, there is a question about whether building emissions will be part of the trading scheme and whether they will be accounted for nationally. As new regulations are coming, I suggest that if these large-scale residential developments are strategic and key and if they will constitute a large amount of the physical building that will happen in our State, let us get it better than right. Let us do it really well.

I will be coming back with new versions of amendments Nos. 8 and 9 on Report Stage. I urge the Minister to consider them, perhaps in consultation with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Minister's Department and his area, like all other areas, will have extremely high sectoral targets to fulfil and this is one place he can start to fulfil them. When we have in place the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, every part of the State will potentially be subject to legal action in respect of fulfilling their obligations. Let us get ahead of that and do it right. Sometimes we give negative warnings but, for once, this is signalling a positive opportunity.

On zoning, of course only councillors can rezone but, unfortunately, there was a situation whereby proposed rezonings were included in a zoning map that was to be attached to a draft development plan without proper consultation. Councillors recognised that, caught it and made sure it was addressed. I applaud them for that.