Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 1535: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the policy of his Department in relation to providing allotments or plots via county council's to allow people to grow vegetables and so on; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that residents in Dublin 15 have been told that these plots are no longer available and that replacement allotments will be made available in Naul, North County Dublin a 20 mile journey from their current location; his views on whether this is an impossible journey for many of these residents to make; his proposals to provide an accessible alternative for these residents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29474/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities have general powers to take such measures, engage in such activities or do such things (including the incurring of expenditure) as they consider necessary or desirable to promote the interests of the local community. Under these powers local authorities may decide at their discretion to make allotments available. The exercise of these discretionary powers is entirely a matter for individual authorities and my Department has no function in the matter.