Ministers O'Keeffe, Gormley and Finneran announced this week the publication a Joint Code of Practice on Provision of Schools and the Planning System.

The Code of Practice which was agreed between the two Departments, in conjunction with the City and County Managers' Association, sets out the roles, responsibilities and specific actions to be taken in relation to forecasting future demand for school places and planning for schools provision through the development plan, local area plan and development management processes.

The Code of Practice, which is issued as statutory guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, is part of a wider package of initiatives designed to facilitate the provision of schools and schools-related infrastructure within the planning system.

Announcing the new Code of Practice, Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, spoke about the importance of creating clear linkages between the demand for school places, especially in new, fast-growing and developing areas, with the current planning and delivery processes followed by his Department in relation to school accommodation.

"It's principally about ensuring that planning authorities engage at the earliest opportunity and co-ordinate with the Department of Education and Science in relation to schools requirements and their future provision before land is zoned or re-zoned for substantial residential development."

The Code of Practice is built around three core objectives:

• schools provision should be an integral part of the evolution of compact sustainable urban development and the development of sustainable communities;
• the provision of any new schools should be driven by and emerge from an integrated approach between the planning functions of planning authorities and the Department of Education and Science; and
• planning authorities will co-operate and co-ordinate with the Department of Education and Science in ensuring the timely delivery of schools.

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