Séamus Kirk (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will issue a directive to local authorities regarding the upcoming review of county development plans, having regard to the significant contraction to the amount of agricultural land here in the past 15 to 20 years with its implications for volume of food supply generally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17037/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans were issued by my Department in June 2007 under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, which requires planning authorities to have regard to them in the performance of their functions. As regards the quantum of land that should be zoned for development, the guidelines emphasise that "development plans must be based on objective, needs driven assessment of future development requirements including the amount of land that needs to be zoned for particular purposes". The guidelines also state that "zoning that is not responsive to or justifiable by reference to reasonable needs, or that substantially exceeds such needs, is not consistent with proper planning and sustainable development".

As indicated in the reply to Question No. 394 of 22 April 2008, work is under way in my Department with the aim, inter alia, of ensuring greater integration between the National Spatial Strategy, Regional Planning Guidelines, development plans and local area planning which is relevant in the context of determining the amount of land to be zoned for development purposes.

Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is a statutory consultee in relation to all draft development plans and, as such, would be invited to make comments or submissions at draft plan stage on any matter falling within the remit or concern of that Minister including the issue of food supply.