Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will add to what my colleagues have already said. My experience in dealing with county development plans and councillors tells me that they regularly find that despite their intimate knowledge of communities and various growth patterns, they are restricted because the national development plan sets out certain strategic development criteria that talk about numbers based on censuses. Projections are often wholly out of date with the practical situation, based on various events that might have taken place, job creation opportunities or foreign investment that has taken place in certain areas. It is clear that there are additional building requirements but the councillors are informed by the chief executive that if they are to proceed on the basis of what they know to be the case, they will be at variance with the national plan, whatever the guise from which it might have emanated. In Clare, amendments that were made were, through the Department and on the advice of the Planning Regulator, later removed, making it virtually impossible for communities to grow in line with the demand that is there. If some clarity on the section was available from the Minister of State, it would be helpful.