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Minister Gormley addresses The Irish Landscape Conference in Tullamore

16/10/09

Mr. John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government this morning (16 October) addressed the Irish National Landscape Conference in Tullamore.

The Minister stated that “The Landscape agenda has rightly emerged to become a mainstream national objective through Ireland’s ratification of the European Landscape Convention and its coming into force in 2004”.  The Minister acknowledged the opportunity that the Conference presented to consider the full range of issues affecting our landscapes, including what is being done at home and internationally to protect our landscapes, and what challenges remain for all of us. 
He also highlighted the major review of archaeological policy and practice undertaken by his Department. Work is now well underway on drafting a consolidated and updated National Monuments legislative code, which will eliminate anomalies and inconsistencies that have arisen through successive acts, while also providing a new system for the identification, registration and conservation of historic landscapes.

Minister Gormley also outlined the strong action that he is taking to address the issue of chronic and over zoning through the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill currently before the Seanad. The Bill requires much tighter management of land zoning to ensure that the location and quantum of land zoned for development is in line with regional and local targets for growth over the period of the development plan.

Mr Gormley indicated that a number of key building blocks were now sufficiently advanced to allow his Department push forward with developing a National Landscape Strategy which he expected to be published for public consultation by the middle of next year at the very latest. The Minister also announced that “in parallel with the preparation of the National Landscape Strategy, work will now also proceed on the development of a National Landscape Character Assessment”. This will provide baseline data at national and regional level and provide a reference framework to inform implementation of the National Landscape Strategy.

Finally, Mr Gormley concluded by expressing his confidence that “through our changes to the National Monuments and Planning legislation, we will have a strong legal code needed to protect our landscapes”.  The other measures the Minister outlined culminating now with the development of the National Landscape Strategy, will ensure that Ireland is in the best possible position to promote landscape management and planning and to ensure that generations to come will continue to enjoy this precious gift.

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