Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 January 2026
403. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage in view of the rapid population growth in the Donabate and Portrane area, and the strain this will put on existing services, if he will establish a cross-departmental review to ensure that essential services are properly aligned with population growth in Donabate and Portrane. [3231/26]
View answerPlanning for the provision of infrastructure, amenities and services is a core element of the statutory plan-making process and is key to promoting the development of sustainable communities. The local authority development plan is the principal planning strategy document which sets out the relevant policies and objectives to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period, including both urban and rural areas.
It is through the development plan, that planning authorities set out relevant objectives, policy support and development management standards for development, as well as identifying suitable locations or areas for specific forms of development. The power to make or vary a development plan is a reserved function of the elected members of each planning authority.
Section 10 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (under which all existing development plans were prepared) required planning authorities to include objectives in their development plan for the provision of infrastructure, and the integration of the planning and sustainable development of the area with the social, community and cultural requirements of the area and its population. The legislation further provides that objectives must be included for the preservation, improvement and extension of amenities and recreational amenities.
All future development plans will be made under Part 3, Chapter 5 (Development Plans) of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which was commenced on 31 December 2025. Sections 44 to 51 of the Act of 2024 require planning authorities to include various strategies and objectives in their development plans including in relation to the sustainable use of land, integrated transport, infrastructure, and the amenities, facilities and services required meet the social, recreational and cultural needs of the community.
Under section 213 of the 2000 Act, a local authority is empowered, for the purposes of performing any of its functions (including facilitating the implementation of its Development Plan), to acquire land, permanently or temporarily, by agreement or compulsorily. This includes the acquisition of sites for infrastructure and facilities.
Pursuant to section 48 of the 2000 Act, a planning authority or An Coimisiún Pleanála may attach a condition to a grant of planning permission requiring the payment of a contribution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities that it is intended will be provided, by or on behalf of a local authority. This may include for open spaces, and recreational and community facilities or other forms of public infrastructure. The basis for such contributions is set out in a development contribution scheme as adopted by the elected members.
In addition, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht administers a number of funding schemes for eligible community development projects.
It is important to note that local authorities are independent statutory bodies with democratically elected councils and their own management system. Section 63(3) of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that a local authority is independent in the performance of its functions.
Minister Browne, established a Housing Activation Office in the Department to coordinate and accelerate the delivery of infrastructure projects needed to enable housing development. The Office is actively engaged in identifying barriers to housing delivery and is coordinating with local authorities and infrastructure agencies to address these barriers.
In the coming months Minister Browne will be bringing forward a €1 billion Housing Infrastructure Investment Fund to support direct investment in housing infrastructure. This new fund will complement investment by infrastructure agencies, such as Uisce Éireann and ESB Networks, who have also received funding under the National Development Plan to support housing growth.
This joined-up approach will help accelerate housing delivery by unblocking infrastructure constraints and ensuring that investment is targeted to where it can have the greatest impact. This will help support local authorities in achieving their housing targets in line with the Revised National Planning Framework.
While we cannot comment on any individual sites in advance of the opening of the Housing Infrastructure Investment fund, there will be close engagement with stakeholders, including Fingal County Council, to identify priority areas for investment for infrastructure to unlock housing development.
