Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he is taking in conjunction with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to create community centres and facilities in newly created high density urban areas in which there is a complete dearth of facilities and lack of amenities for young persons; the funding in place to both construct and staff community buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15205/17]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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63. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will address the need for greater community and sports facilities in new, towns and villages across the country in the context of the Ireland 2040 plan and suitable planning. [17113/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 63 together.

My Department does not currently operate any scheme or programme which would fully fund the construction of a community centre or similar facilities.

However, the provision of community facilities and amenities for younger people is addressed within the local authority planning and development process by co-ordinating the functions of various statutory bodies, local and voluntary groups, local authority own resources and proposals for local development.

The importance of creating sustainable communities is recognised in the National Planning Policy Statement published in 2015. In addition, national-level policy approaches in relation to residential densities in urban areas are set out in my Department’s Guidelines for Planning Authorities on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, which place a heavy emphasis on the importance of provision of public infrastructure, such as public transport, community and sports facilities.

Furthermore, progression of the forthcoming National Planning Framework, to be entitled Ireland 2040: Our Plan, will further clarify and enhance urban development policy in this area, for example in relation to identifying the potential to sustainably build up the economic vitality, population levels and supporting social and physical infrastructure of town centre and inner urban areas that in many cases have witnessed a sustained movement of people outwards to suburban and wider settings.

My colleague, Minister of State Catherine Byrne,  recently launched the Communities Facilities Scheme, under which €2m is being made available this year to fund projects that seek to enhance communities, address disadvantage and improve social cohesion at a local level. The Scheme is being managed at a local level by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in conjunction with the Municipal Districts, under the remit of the local authorities.

I would also stress that the most appropriate forum for working through and resolving the issues raised by the Deputy is at local authority level. Within local authorities, the local elected members play a crucial role in addressing the issues raised by the Deputy, through identifying local social and community infrastructure requirements and the mechanisms to address these through  implementing statutory development plans and local economic and community plans, harnessing resources from local authority own finances, centrally voted expenditure and the contribution of the wider community, voluntary and private sectors.

I am confident that, through working with my colleagues in Government and with local authorities, the communities we build into the future will be well planned and provide the relevant facilities to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated and that the building up of strategic urban areas will take account of the key need for appropriate community facilities.