Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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364. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the regulations in place to ensure that new housing developments ensure access to adequate childcare facilities; the position regarding housing developments (details supplied) in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19060/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The role of the Minister in relation to the planning system is, primarily, to provide a policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities, An Bord Pleanála and the Office of the Planning Regulator perform their statutory planning functions.  Under section 30 of the Planning Act, the Minister is specifically precluded from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority or the Board is or may be concerned.  Accordingly, I cannot comment on the specific housing developments set out in the details supplied.

Planning authorities have statutory responsibility for determining planning applications in accordance with the statutory regulations. In respect of childcare provision, the Guidelines for Planning Authorities relating to Childcare Facilities, issued by my Department under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provide a framework to guide both local authorities, and developers and childcare providers in formulating and considering development proposals.  The Guidelines are intended to ensure a consistency of approach throughout the country to the treatment of applications in respect to the land use planning aspects of childcare provision, for relevant planning applications.