Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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21. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the way in which he and his Department will ensure that the Departments of Health, Education and Skills, Transport, Tourism and Sport and Finance comply with and work within the national planning framework. [9024/17]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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73. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the role his Department will have in the roll out of the national planning framework. [8779/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 73 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is currently leading the preparation of the National Planning Framework, Our Plan - Ireland 2040 , although responsibility for the ultimate implementation of the Framework will rest with a range of stakeholders such as relevant Government Departments, including those referred to, other public bodies and agencies, including local authorities, and regional assemblies, and private sector and community interests.

I have established a cross-Departmental steering group, which I Chair and which is made up of high-level representatives of relevant Government Departments, to lead the preparation of the NPF. This will help ensure effective alignment and joined-up thinking across Government.

I have also established a NPF Advisory Group to ensure the participation of relevant non-governmental organisations, professional bodies and technical experts in the process – this Advisory Group met in December. The purpose of the Advisory Group is to harness the inputs and leadership of a broad range of interests, including the business, environmental, social and knowledge based sectors.

Building on the initial Roadmap document in 2015 and stakeholder consultation events in 2016, I recently launched a preliminary public consultation process which runs until mid-March, to inform the drafting of the NPF and I expect to publish a draft for public consultation before the Summer.

My Department is liaising closely with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in co-ordinating the preparations for both the National Planning Framework and the mid-term review of the Government’s Capital Plan to 2021. On the basis of the initial public consultation, a draft NPF will be prepared and it is my Department’s intention to develop this draft in sufficient time that it will be available to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to input into the Capital Plan review process.

I am confident that the ongoing work in developing the Framework, coupled to the proposals to give it a strong legislative underpinning, as set out under the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, and its progression in tandem with the mid-term review of the Capital Plan will ensure that all Departments, other public bodies and stakeholders more generally will work within and drive forward the NPF’s implementation.