Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 163: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if extra resources and funding will be made available to local authorities to meet the demands under Our Sustainable Future framework. [31335/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Our Sustainable Future is a joined-up approach to policy making on sustainable development and sets out clear measures, responsibilities and timelines in an implementation plan that will ensure we improve our quality of life for current and future generations.

It will be a matter for individual sectors led by the relevant Departments to promote and coordinate delivery of the measures in Our Sustainable Future. It is envisaged that some measures will not entail additional costs and I would highlight that some can actually lead to significant cost savings e.g. the use of eco-design, integrated pollution prevention and control, and green public procurement. Other measures that entail initial costs in the short term can yield proportionately much greater cost savings over the longer term e.g. climate change adaptation measures. In overall terms, however, where additional costs arise in regard to implementation, these will have to be met from within existing resources.

The local government system is critical to the delivery of a wide range of important services that support sustainable development. The implementation of the Report of the Local Government Efficiency Review Group is critical in ensuring that resources are utilised efficiently in the discharge by local authorities of their functions, including those relating to sustainable development issues. A policy statement on local government reform is also in preparation with the aim of making local government stronger and more coherent, efficient, effective and ultimately more responsive to the public. The policy approach and recommendations in Our Sustainable Future will be taken into account, where relevant, in finalising this statement.