Eoghan Murphy (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if the Memorandum for Understanding agreed with the Troika includes provision for the establishment of certain larger retailers here. [45491/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Retail Planning and accompanying Retail Design Manual which I published on 1 May 2012 are aimed at:

- ensuring that the planning system plays a key role in supporting competitiveness in the retail sector;

- advancing choice for the consumer while promoting and supporting the vitality and viability of city and town centres; and,

- contributing to a high standard of urban design and encouraging a greater use of sustainable transport.

The Guidelines take into account the recommendations of the Forfás study : Review of the Economic Impact of the Retail Cap which is an evidence-based and focused study to analyse the potential economic impacts of eliminating the cap on the size of retail premises and is published on my Department’s website at .

This study was prepared in response to the requirement in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland for an economic analysis of the potential impact on competition and consumer prices of eliminating or relaxing the floorspace cap on retail premises .

On foot of the Forfás study , and the public consultation process on the draft Guidelines, the convenience retail floorspace caps were amended rather than eliminated and proposed exceptions to the 6,000 square metres retail warehouse cap may be considered on the merits of individual development applications in the five National Spatial Strategy Gateway cities of Dublin, Cork, Waterford, Limerick/Shannon and Galway subject to the locational criteria set out in the Guidelines.