Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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269. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to amend the National Planning Framework; the aspects due to be changed; if clarity regarding the hierarchy of planning policy at present can be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17029/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Project Ireland 2040 comprises two principal elements, both of which were published by Government in 2018. The National Planning Framework (NPF) is Ireland’s long-term national spatial planning strategy to accommodate projected future population and economic growth over a 20-year period to 2040.

The other principal element of Project Ireland is the current National Development Plan (NDP), which sets out a €116 billion public capital investment envelope in support of the NPF, to 2027. The aligned and shared vision of the NPF in tandem with the NDP, is an integrated, ‘joined-up’ planning and investment strategy, focused on a series of ten shared national outcomes.

The Programme for Government commits to review of the National Development Plan (NDP) to be brought forward from 2022, to set out an updated NDP for the period to 2031. The Programme for Government also confirms that the updated NDP will remain aligned with the spatial planning strategy in the NPF. Accordingly, it is not proposed to review the NPF at this time.

The NPF sits at the top of a hierarchy of statutory spatial development plans, the purpose of which is to ensure the sustainable development of urban and rural areas, secure balanced regional development and to support and co-ordinate proper planning and development throughout Ireland. This national-level planning policy is being implemented at the regional level through statutory Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) for the three Regional Assembly areas.

Further to the NPF, a RSES was prepared by each of the three Regional Assemblies in Ireland, all of which were approved and in place by January 2020. In accordance with Section 11 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as amended, subsequent review of each County Development Plan must be consistent with both the NPF and the relevant Regional Strategy. In addition, since April 2019, Development Plan review processes have been overseen by the independent Office of the Planning Regulator.