Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Fine Gael)
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1997. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to remove the local needs clause in County Louth; if adjustments will be made to the development plan for County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37564/17]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 ECJ Court ruling in the Flemish Decree case, a working group comprising representatives from my Department and planning authorities was established to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing with a view to ensuring that rural housing policies and objectives contained in county development plans comply with the relevant provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.  The group has met on three occasions to date.

On conclusion of the Working Group's deliberations, my Department will engage further with the European Commission on proposed changes to be made to the 2005 Guidelines, which I expect to be finalised later this year.  The revised Guidelines will be issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, which requires planning authorities, and where appropriate An Bord Pleanála, to have regard to planning guidelines in the performance of their statutory functions under the Planning Acts.

Circular PL 2/2017, which issued in May 2017, advised planning authorities that the 2005 Guidelines remain in place, pending the conclusion of the review processes and that any amendments to rural housing policies in existing development plans should be deferred until advised otherwise by my Department. The Circular is available to view on my Department's website at the following link: .