Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal East, Labour)
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381. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the definition and objectives in the planning code of "self-sustaining growth towns"; how many have this classification in the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4652/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A hierarchy of settlements in Ireland is defined through planning policy at national, regional and local levels as part of the plan-led planning system operated under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) and reinforced through Planning and Development Act 2024.

The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a high-level framework for the planning and development of Ireland to 2040. The NPF designates the five cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, in addition to the five smaller Regional Growth Centres of Athlone, Sligo, Letterkenny, Drogheda and Dundalk.

Regional Assemblies and Local Authorities must consider the growth potential of all other types of settlement and tailor a strategy to balance growth in these settlements accordingly through the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSESs) and city and county development plans.

The RSESs identify and designate “Key Towns” at county or sub-county level. They are defined in the Planning and Development Act 2024 as “a large, economically active settlement that provides employment and services for its surrounding area and has the capacity to complement a regional growth centre”. Settlements below the level of “Key Town” are identified and designated in the local authority development plan.

In the case of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly Area (EMRA) the RSES identifies a fourth category of settlement termed “self-sustaining growth town” / “self-sustaining town”. This category sits below the “Key Town” category.

“Self-Sustaining Growth Towns” are described as towns with a moderate level of jobs and services – including county market towns and commuter towns with good transport links and capacity for continued growth to become more self-sustaining. At the same level “Self-Sustaining Towns” are described as towns with high levels of population growth and a weak employment base which are reliant on other areas for employment and/or services and which require targeted ‘catch up’ investment to become more self-sustaining. The RSES states that these settlements act as regionally important local drivers providing a range of functions for their resident population and their surrounding catchments including housing, local employment, services, retail and leisure opportunities.

Each local authority in the EMRA area may designate “Self-Sustaining Growth Towns” / “Self-Sustaining Towns” as part of the statutory development plan making process. There are currently twenty-four settlements defined as ‘self-sustaining growth towns’ within Local Authority Development Plans across the EMRA area.