Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the steps that have been taken to integrate local transport plans as part of local development plans. [5576/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The integration of local transport is a key feature of national, regional and local development planning and is further strengthened through the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010. This provides for greater consistency of plans at regional, city/county and local level, including through the requirement for a core strategy to be incorporated into development plans to reinforce the practice of including evidence-based policy objectives in future development plans. These new provisions are being reflected and implemented in new development plans and in variations to existing plans, and planning authorities are ensuring that local area plans are consistent with the development plan thereafter.

I am further strengthening transport planning in local development planning by a more formalised process of integration through the statutory planning guidelines for planning authorities. In this context, the forthcoming Guidelines to Planning Authorities on Local Area Plans, which I expect to publish shortly outline, will encourage, among the key policies and objectives for inclusion in local area plans, smarter travel patterns through more compact, less sprawling, and better structured urban areas . They will also promote more sustainable and healthier travel habits such as walking, cycling, and the use of public transport.

I will, in addition, provide an update of the Development Plan Guidelines during the coming year, inter alia, further to strengthen the integration of transport planning and forward planning.