Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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335. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the total number of special amenity areas currently in place nationally; the number designated in the past five years by local authority area, as designated under section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53488/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Provisions in relation to the making of special amenity areas are set out in section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. Under these provisions, a planning authority may make an order declaring a specified area to be an area of special amenity, for reasons of its outstanding beauty or its special recreational value, and having regard to any benefits for nature conservation.

The making of a Special Amenity Area Order is a reserved function of the elected members of a local authority. However, as Minister I may, if I consider it necessary, direct a planning authority to make an order declaring a specified area to be an area of special amenity for the same reasons as outlined above. I or my predecessors have not made any such direction in the past five years.

The specific information requested in relation to the number of Special Amenity Areas nationally and the number designated in the last five years is not collated by my Department. This information may be sought directly from the relevant Local Authorities.

Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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336. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of protected structures that are currently designated nationally; the number assigned this status in the past five years by local authority area as designated under section 202 of the Planning and Development Act 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53490/22]

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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My role as Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage in regard to the protection and management of our architectural heritage is set out in the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), as are the roles of local authorities and the responsibilities of owners.

Part IV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, gives primary responsibility to local authorities to identify and protect the architectural heritage in their area by including structures of special interest on the Record of Protected Structures. Inclusion on the Record of Protected Structures places a duty of care on the owners and occupiers of protected structures and also gives local authorities powers to safeguard their future.

While I have the power to make recommendations to local authorities for buildings and structures to be included on the Record of Protected Structures, I have no function in relation to the maintenance of these records or in the consolidation of their data such as the question suggests.