Written answers

Thursday, 22 May 2008

Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government

Planning Issues

4:00 pm

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 255: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made in regard to the commitment given in the Programme for Government to ensure a supply of affordable child care premises by requiring housing developers to make a monetary contribution or provide a site to local authorities for child care facilities. [20359/08]

Photo of John GormleyJohn Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The provision of childcare facilities is primarily a matter for my colleague the Minister of State with responsibility for children. My Department published Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Childcare Facilities in June 2001, which provide a framework to guide all local authorities in the preparation of development plans and in assessing applications for planning permission; assist developers and childcare providers in formulating development proposals; and aim to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country in the treatment of applications for planning permission for childcare facilities. The matter is also addressed in Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Development Plans, which were published by my Department in June 2007, reflecting that the provision, or facilitation of the provision, of services for the community, including childcare facilities, is a mandatory objective for development plans under section 10 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000.

In addition, the need for essential community facilities, including childcare, to be incorporated into the design and development of new residential developments is set out in the draft Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas which will issue in their final form later this year.

Under section 48 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, planning authorities may levy development contributions in respect of public infrastructure and facilities provided by, or on behalf of, the local authority that benefit development in the area, based on a scheme of contributions adopted by the elected members of the authority. The money collected in development levies is used to fund public infrastructure, including community facilities, servicing new development. As indicated in the reply to Question No. 584 of 20 May 2008, the operation of the development contributions system will be kept under review by my Department.

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