Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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143. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government when the land use review will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46035/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland’s Future, recommitted to the national land use review. The first phase was published in March 2023 and focused on evidence gathering. It was led by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Final Report for Phase 2, entitled A Living Land, has been received by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon, the Minister of State at Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Christopher O'Sullivan and myself for our consideration. We are currently studying all aspects of the final report with our own Departments and it will be published following the Government’s consideration of our recommended approach to its findings.

The purpose of the Phase 2 of the Land Use Review was to compile an evidence base for Government and to present a framework to inform and support policymakers and landholders in their decisions for future land-use in the context of achieving Ireland’s agricultural, socio-economic, climate and environmental objectives. ‘A Living Land’, is not an articulation of government policy or strategy in relation to land use.

There are many economic, environmental, and social considerations to be balanced in considering land use, and A Living Land will help to inform and support future decision making, taking into account many factors. The report also notes the importance of Government leadership in leveraging the role of state-owned lands to achieve integrated land use objectives, and emphasises that public bodies play a critical role in leading by example.