Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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108. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when he will publish and finalise the new national planning framework; if it will redesign, reconfigure or redesignate the industrial gateways and hubs as outlined in the National Spatial Strategy 2002; and if the National Spatial Strategy 2002 has any statutory or non-statutory role as a strategic spatial planning framework or if he is considers it redundant. [10737/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The current National Spatial Strategy, NSS, was published in 2002 and was Ireland's first national strategic spatial planning framework set ting an overarching planning framework. The Strategy remains in force and as a result of the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010, its statutory role and influence has been strengthened by new requirements for local authority and regional plans to align with the NSS. Bearing in mind the interval of time that has elapsed, changed circumstances and new challenges that have emerged in the planning arena, the previous Government approved the preparation of a successor to the NSS - the National Planning Framework- and in December 2015 published a roadmap for its preparation, which is available on my Department’s website at the following link; .

The commitment to preparing the National Planning Frameworkwas reaffirmed in A Programme for a Partnership Government, published earlier this month.

I intend that the National Planning Frameworkwill be a high-level nationally focused document, developed to ensure the optimal development of the country as a whole while maximising Ireland’s economic recovery and on-going growth at national, regional and local level, thus further contributing to sustainable national recovery through an inclusive and participative approach with all relevant national, regional and local interests.

Furthermore, the National Planning Frameworkwill act as the strategic planning context for relevant Government policies and investment in housing, water services, transport, communications, energy, health and education infrastructure, development, by the three new regional assemblies, of their new regional spatial and economic strategies, and the functions of planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála.

In line with the Programme for Government commitment, it is anticipated that the National Planning Framework will be finalised by the first quarter of 2017, taking account of all relevant in puts and statutory requirements and it would be inappropriate at this early stage to comment on the likely content of the framework until sufficient preparatory and consultative work is undertaken.