Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the changes he plans to make to modernise the planning system as stated in an interview (details supplied). [17003/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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As outlined in this interview, I would like to see progress on many fronts during my tenure as Minister, including, in addition to housing, modernising the planning system.

This is in line with the commitments in the Programme for Government. The Programme for Government to a range of measures in relation to ‘Planning and Reform’, including:-

- Introduce a ‘use it or lose it’ condition for all planning applications of ten units or more;

- Review and reform the judicial review process so that such reforms come into effect upon the establishment of the Environmental and Planning Law Court, while always adhering to our EU law obligations under the Aarhus Convention;

- Examine the creation of an independent Building Standards Regulator to oversee building control nationwide and to act as custodian of the Building Control Management System, including the re-establishment of the Building Regulatory Advisory Body;

- Introduce a new scheme to expand and build on the Living Cities Initiative to encourage infill Development;

- Review how community gain can be captured through a review of the development levy process, rezoning system and planning permission conditions.

- Ensure that the Planning Regulator is adequately resourced and proactively engages with all stakeholders in the planning system, including informing and assisting the general public in inputting into local and regional development plans;

- Work to ensure our ageing population has a range of options for living independently and alternatives to long-term residential care to support ageing in place in line with the policy statement ‘Housing Options for Our Ageing Population’;

- Avoid over-concentration of particular housing types in areas by requiring local authorities to complete Housing Need and Demand Assessments to inform delivery of an appropriate mix of housing typologies to cater for the needs of disparate household types and sizes;

- Reform and consolidate Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) laws;

- Strengthen enforcement of the Vacant Site Levy and the keep the legislation under review;

- Not extend Strategic Housing Developments beyond their legislative expiry in eighteen months’ time;

- Examine ways to ensure unused or underused building stock in cities and other urban centres can be made available for upgraded and sustainable housing and further develop ‘Live Above the Shop’ measures.

In addition to the above, the Programme for Government also commits to establishing a Commission on Housing to examine issues such as tenure, standards, sustainability, and quality of life issues.

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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315. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the terms of reference for the review of the housing density rule as stated in an interview (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17004/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government - our shared future, commits to ensuring that policy and planning across Government in relation to the future provision of services and infrastructure will be fully aligned with the National Planning Framework (NPF) to ensure balanced and sustainable development in Ireland over the next 20 years. A vibrant, inclusive and thriving Ireland requires actions to revitalise our towns and villages, and ensure the development of our regional cities.

Against this backdrop, and to support the implementation of the NPF objective to encourage compact growth and quality urban environments, there is merit in reviewing aspects of the 2009 Ministerial Guidelines on Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas, that may be issued under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act. This would be an opportunity to provide updated guidance on housing density for a broader range of settlement types and contexts. I am considering in this context the development of ‘sustainable settlement guidance’ and consideration will be given to the terms of reference and timelines for this review in the coming months.