Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 997: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made to date to designate the Liffey Valley area, in County Dublin as a National Park; the contact his Department has had with South Dublin County Council in this regard; the outcome of these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34063/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In September 2008, I requested South Dublin County Council to arrange for an evaluation of lands between Palmerstown and Lucan Bridge, the existing area of special amenity and the N4/old Lucan Road/Old Hill Road, in order to assess the suitability of some or all of these lands for designation as a new area of special amenity, having regard to the provisions of section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

In February 2009, South Dublin County Council submitted a report on the matter. This has been considered in my Department, and it is intended to request the Council to give further consideration to the extent of lands that might be included in such an area. Also in February 2009, my Department requested Dublin City Council, Fingal County Council and Kildare County Council to carry out evaluations of lands in the Liffey valley which fall within their functional areas, in order to assess the suitability of some or all of these lands being designated as part of an extended area of special amenity. Responses have been received from each of these planning authorities and are under consideration.

My Department is finalising its consideration of the relevant information and I will shortly decide whether to give a direction under section 202(2) of the Act regarding the making of a further special amenity area order or orders.