Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 96: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the continuing expansion of the growth in the Dublin region, he will review the national spatial strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22547/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The National Spatial Strategy (NSS) is a 20-year strategic planning framework which was published in November 2002 and aims at achieving more balanced regional development throughout the country. Dublin plays a key role in the ongoing implementation of the National Spatial Strategy.

The Strategy calls for a more balanced spread of economic activity in Ireland, but recognises that we must support and enhance the competitiveness of the Greater Dublin Area so that it continues to perform at the international and national level as a driver of national development. The NSS also accepts that it is not sustainable that Dublin should continue to sprawl outwards into counties on its periphery and beyond. Longer commuting times are socially detrimental and physical infrastructure constraints may jeopardise competitiveness. To address this, it is necessary to consolidate the physical growth of the Dublin metropolitan area, the city and suburbs, while at the same time concentrating development in the hinterland into strategically placed, strong and dynamic urban centres.

The substantial investment in transport that was announced by Government in Transport 21 is in accordance with the general principles of NSS and it is envisaged that future residential and commercial developments will be concentrated as close as possible to the existing and forthcoming rapid transport systems.

The Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) for the Greater Dublin Area 2004-2016 were prepared and adopted jointly by the Dublin and Mid-East Regional Authorities, and are in the second year of their 12-year life-span. These RPGs articulate the NSS vision for the Greater Dublin Area, and relevant city and county development plans translate the vision further to local level.

The NSS is a robust framework and continues to be appropriate and applicable. When initial results from the 2006 Census are released later this year, it is intended to consider the population trends in the context of their possible implications for the Regional Planning Guidelines, both in the Greater Dublin Area and throughout the country.