Planning and Development Act, 2000

Consultation regarding regional planning guidelines.

24.—(1) As soon as may be after agreeing any necessary arrangements under section 21 , a regional authority shall give notice of its intention to make the regional planning guidelines.

(2) A notice under subsection (1) shall be given to the Minister, the Board, the prescribed authorities and any town commissioners in the area and shall be published in one or more newspapers circulating in the region for which the regional planning guidelines are prepared and shall—

(a) state that the regional authority intends to make regional planning guidelines,

(b) indicate the matters to be considered in the guidelines, having regard to section 23 ,

(c) indicate that submissions regarding the making of the regional planning guidelines may be made in writing to the regional authority within a specified period (which shall not be less than 8 weeks).

(3) A regional authority shall consider any submissions received under subsection (2) before preparing the draft regional planning guidelines.

(4) When a regional authority prepares the draft of the regional planning guidelines it shall, as soon as may be—

(a) send notice and copies of the draft guidelines to the Minister, the Board, the prescribed authorities and any town commissioners in its area, and

(b) publish notice of the preparation of the draft in one or more newspapers circulating in its area.

(5) A notice under subsection (4) shall state—

(a) that a copy of the draft guidelines may be inspected at a stated place or places and at stated times during a stated period of not less than 10 weeks (and the copy shall be kept available for inspection accordingly), and

(b) that written submissions or observations with respect to the draft made to the regional authority within the stated period will be taken into consideration before the guidelines are adopted.

(6) Following the consideration of submissions or observations under subsection (5), and subject to section 25 , the regional authority shall make the regional planning guidelines subject to any modification considered necessary.

(7) (a) Where a regional authority makes regional planning guidelines, it shall publish a notice of the making of the guidelines in at least one newspaper circulating in the functional area of each planning authority in the region for which the guidelines are prepared.

(b) A notice under this subsection shall state that a copy of the guidelines is available for inspection at a stated place or places (and the copy shall be kept available for inspection accordingly).