The views of industry, environmental groups and members of the public are requested by 21 March and the Ministry will use these as it develops a National Spatial Strategy that will form part of the National Development Plan.
“Having established a strong economic performance as a nation, attention is now turning to how that performance is maintained and geographically distributed with the country in a balanced and sustainable manner,” states What are the issue?, the consultation document on the National Spatial Strategy.
The challenge of ensuring continued economic growth and compliance with EU environmental legislation has already proved periodically difficult for Ireland. Plans for the development of Dublin Bay (see related story) and the National Development Plan itself (see related story) have both come under fire from environmentalists.
The issues that will come under Ireland’s National Spatial Strategy include:
- waste management
- housing
- development of both urban and rural areas
- public and private transport networks
The Strategy is due for completion in two years.