The Southern Regional Assembly welcomes the publication of draft revised National Planning Framework (NPF) for public consultation. The Assembly will review the draft and submit detailed comments and recommendations ahead of the September deadline.
David Kelly, Director Southern Regional Assembly, said: “I welcome the publication of the draft revised NPF for public consultation. The Southern Regional Assembly strongly supports the NPF and the Project Ireland 2040 process as providing a good basis to address the major challenges Ireland faces and for how Ireland, and the Southern Region will develop over the next 20 years and beyond.
Our analysis of the delivery of the NPF to date shows significant positive developments, including a coherent alignment between national, regional and local policy, significant state investment and important regional and local initiatives. At the same time there are major structural and embedded investment imbalances inhibiting the achievement of national targets relating to climate change, sustainable growth, balanced regional development, rural development, and also the development of Cork, Limerick-Shannon and Waterford Metropolitan Areas to reach their full potential. The Review provides an opportunity to address these issues and the Southern Regional Assembly will play a positive and proactive role in responding to the Draft.”
Cllr. Garret Kelleher, Cathaoirleach Southern Regional Assembly, also welcomed the draft NPF Review and said, ‘the public consultation period provides a timely opportunity for our new Assembly, which held its first meeting on Friday, 12th July, to engage and input in a project of national, regional and local significance and I encourage all members and the public at large to engage in this important process.’