Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he is satisfied that the revised planning guidelines issued by his Department are being observed by the local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12727/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the question refers to the Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Rural Housing which came into effect on 13 April 2005. These guidelines provide that reasonable proposals on suitable sites in rural areas for persons who are part of, contribute to or have links with the rural community should be accommodated. The guidelines thus affirm a presumption in favour of quality one-off housing for rural communities, provided proposals meet normal standards in relation to matters such as the proper wastewater disposal and road safety. Following the publication of the guidelines, planning authorities were asked to review their development plans with a view to incorporating any changes necessary to ensure that development plan policies are consistent with the policies set out in the guidelines.

The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government held two seminars last year for local authority planning officials on the implementation of the guidelines. The seminars dealt with the overall objectives of the guidelines and provided practical advice on the implementation of their core provisions, including preparation of development plan policies, providing better support and advice to applicants and more efficient and comprehensive consideration of planning applications.

In September 2005, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government also held discussions on implementation of the guidelines with the planning committee of the County and City Managers Association. These discussions focused on the need to embed regard for the guidelines, as required by section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, in the performance by local authorities of their relevant functions that is in making or reviewing their development plans, in providing planning services to applicants or potential applicants and in deciding on planning applications. County managers have also been asked to report on the measures taken to date to implement the guidelines and on their impact. The indications from reports received to date are that planning authorities have already considered any necessary changes to their development plans in order to give full effect to the guidelines. Reports from county managers will be repeated periodically. I intend to continue closely monitoring the effectiveness of the guidelines.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the policies of local authorities, as supplied to him, regarding management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12782/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Following a request for information from the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I understand that the majority of planning authorities do not attach conditions to planning permissions requiring management companies to be set up in the case of housing estates. However, a number avail of the powers provided to them under planning legislation to attach such conditions; they do this in specified circumstances, for example, where there is a shared wastewater treatment plant between a number of houses.