I thank Deputy Heneghan for his important question about community supports for housing delivery. Planning for the provision of infrastructure and amenities is a core element of the statutory plan-making process. National policy objective 105 of the revised national planning framework sets out that the planning authorities and infrastructure delivery agencies should focus on the timely delivery of enabling infrastructure to priority zoned lands. At local level, the local authority development plan set out relevant objectives, policy support and development management standards for specific forms of development. All existing development plans are required to include objectives for the provision of infrastructure and the integration of the planning for sustainable development of the area with the social community and cultural requirements of the area and its population. The development plan's guidelines for planning authorities further specify that every development plan should include an objective to prepare a community, social and cultural infrastructure audit for areas likely to experience significant development.
Under the Planning and Development Act 2024, when preparing a new development plan, planning authorities will be required to prepare a strategy relating to creation, improvement and preservation of sustainable places and communities. This strategy must include objectives for the provision, improvement, extension and preservation of amenities, facilities and services to meet the social, community, recreational and cultural requirements of the area.
Planning authorities are required to consult with infrastructure and service providers as part of the plan-making process to help ensure that future infrastructure and service requirements are identified at an early stage. Furthermore, a planning authority 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. The provision of funding to support the delivery of community facilities and infrastructure falls within the remit of a number of Government Departments.
My Department has also established a housing activation office to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure required to support housing development. The office supports infrastructure development through initiatives such as the housing infrastructure investment fund. I also launched a towns and cities regeneration investment fund, which replaced the urban regeneration and development fund, to support such proposals.
