Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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1764. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a further circular letter has issued in relation to section 3.2.3 of the Rural Housing Guidelines (details supplied); if not, the reason therefor; the timeframe to issue this circular; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1275/18]

Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1784. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to a document sent by his Department to councils around the country in relation to one off housing, his plans to try to stop it which is the view expressed by different councils of the document that was sent to councils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1420/18]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1764 and 1784 together.

Following engagement between the European Commission and my Department regarding the 2013 European Court of Justice ruling in the Flemish Decree case, a working group, comprising senior representatives from my Department and planning authorities, was established in May 2017 to review and, where necessary, recommend changes to the 2005 Planning Guidelines on Sustainable Rural Housing, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, 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 Working Group concluded its deliberations in September 2017 and my Department is now engaging with the Commission on the matter, with a view to issuing revised Guidelines to planning authorities as soon as practicable after the finalised National Planning Framework is published.

Planning authorities were advised in May 2017, that they should not amend rural housing policies in their development plans until the Guidelines have been revised.  The relevant Circular letter is available to view on my Department's website at the following link:

Pending finalisation of the NPF and new Guidelines, I have no plans to issue further circulars on the issue.