Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 156: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will issue new planning guidelines to local authorities. [2697/04]

Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he will issue new planning guidelines to local authorities. [2695/04]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 183 together.

Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 provides that the Minister may, at any time, issue guidelines to planning authorities regarding any of their functions under the Act and requires planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála to have regard to such guidelines in the performance of their functions.

Work is under way in my Department on the preparation of a number of guidelines which I propose to issue during 2004 either in draft or final format. These include guidelines offering advice in respect of architectural heritage; control of quarries; development control; development plans; retail planning; rural housing; strategic environmental assessment; strategic development zones; and wind farm development.