Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is aware that a decision was made by Bray Town Council in December 2004 when drafting its town development plan for 2005 to 2011 to adopt a town centre zoning on the most sensitive part of the flood plain on golf club lands immediately adjacent to the Dargle River in Bray, that a majority of elected members on Bray Town Council made this zoning decision without having had access to the findings of a flood risk study being carried out by University College Dublin on behalf of the prospective developers of these golf club lands and that this zoning decision does not comply with the guidelines issued by the Office of Public Works for development that is appropriate on flood plains; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5747/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed amendments to the draft Bray development plan have been on public display with a view to facilitating submissions from interested persons. It is a matter for the elected members of Bray Town Council to adopt the final plan in accordance with the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

The question of zoning land for different uses is a matter for each planning authority to address in the context of its development plan. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities may include in their development plans objectives regulating, restricting or controlling development in areas at risk of flooding. Development plan objectives may also include policies indicating that developers will be required to support the funding of flood defences needed for particular developments, either partially or fully, depending on the circumstances involved.

The Office of Public Works, as a prescribed consultee on all draft development plans under the Planning and Development Act 2000, has the opportunity as appropriate to ensure that its views are considered in the making of development plans with particular reference to its statutory responsibilities in respect of river drainage, flood relief and localised flooding problems. I refer also to the reply to Question No. 72 of 9 February 2005.