The Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, has clarified his Department's position on requests to local authorities in the greater Dublin area to ensure their development plans comply with the Strategic Planning Guidelines.
A spokesman for the Minister said yesterday that the situation had changed, and adherence to the guidelines had been mandatory since January 1st.
Before Christmas, a spokesman for the Minister had said letters were issued to Meath and Wicklow county councils re questing that county development plans comply with the guidelines for the greater Dublin area.
While councillors in Meath acknowledged on Monday that they had received such a letter, councillors in Kildare and Wicklow said they had not.
Yesterday a spokesman said a letter had been issued to the three county councils last August requesting that plans adhere to the guidelines.
However, he said the situation had changed since January 1st, as it was now mandatory to comply with the guidelines.
He said the situation with regard to draft plans was being monitored and added that "we will be writing to the councils involved".
It is understood that Mr Dempsey is hoping the councils will amend the plans before he is asked to ratify them.
