John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when he expects to publish guidelines on one-off houses in the countryside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11161/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I am pleased to advise the Deputy that earlier today I launched the finalised Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing. The guidelines constitute statutory ministerial planning guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, to which planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála are required to have regard in exercising their planning functions. Planning authorities are required to review and vary their development plans, where necessary, to ensure that their policies on rural settlement are consistent with the policies set out in the guidelines.

A total of 105 submissions in relation to the draft guidelines were received by my Department from interested organisations and individuals. The submissions have been examined in detail by the Department and many of the suggestions for clarifying or improving the guidelines have been incorporated in the guidelines in their final statutory form.