Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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221. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if the stakeholder consultation report on the national planning framework, arising from the consultation events that took place in June 2016, has been published; and if not, when the report will be published. [28094/16]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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245. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the timetable for the completion of the national planning framework; and the way he plans to connect that framework to the capital plan. [28665/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 245 together.

As the Deputies will be aware, the current National Spatial Strategy (NSS) was published in 2002 and was Ireland's first national strategic spatial planning framework, setting 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.

I intend that the new National Planning Framework will 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. It should contribute further to sustainable national recovery through an inclusive and participative approach with all relevant national, regional and local interests. Furthermore, the Framework will act as the strategic planning context for relevant Government policies and capital investment planning in relation to housing, water services, transport, communications, energy, health and education infrastructure, as well as the preparations by the three new Regional Assemblies of their new regional spatial and economic strategies, and for planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála.

In December 2015, the Government approved and published a roadmap for the preparation of the New National Planning Framework: this is available on my Department’s website at the following link: .

The NPF ‘roadmap’ outlines arrangements for the preparation of the NPF, which includes the establishment of a dedicated work team in my Department whose work will be overseen by a high-level cross-Departmental steering group supported by appropriate public consultation and stakeholder engagement arrangements. Effective consultation will ensure that the Framework is built from the ground up, while at the same time taking account of strategic realities at national level.

In June 2016, my Department undertook a series of key stakeholder consultation events as an initial step in identifying a range of issues for consideration ahead of preparing the draft National Planning Framework. This has provided an important building block to the consultation process and it is anticipated that the Stakeholder Consultation Report will be made available in the coming weeks. This release will correspond with a formal national consultation programme which is currently being prepared and which will be an opportunity for all citizens to input their views and help to shape the NPF.

In addition, I am consulting with my colleagues in other Departments to inform the NPF in recognition of its whole-of-Government approach and impact and of the challenges and opportunities that exist to better align place-making, investment priorities, employment and environmental strategies.

It is intended that an emerging draft National Planning Framework will be prepared by early 2017. The framework will be submitted to the Oireachtas for approval in due course.