Help Plan the Future of Dublin and the Eastern Region

The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) is part of regional governance in Ireland. It has begun to prepare a new Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) for Dublin and the Eastern Region. This will replace the existing Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs) and will include an economic strategy in addition to the spatial strategy for the next 20 years.

The RSES will support the implementation of national government policies such as the emerging National Planning Framework (NPF) and will also set the framework for local economic development and spatial planning in each of the 12 local authorities in the Dublin and Eastern Region.

The Issues Paper is the first stage in the process of making a Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES). It is an informative document to highlight some of the key issues facing the region and to assist people in making their submission to this initial consultation process.

What are the relevant strategic planning responses to these 10 key questions:

How can we align the location of population growth, employment and housing, by 2030?

How can we plan for healthier and more attractive places?

How can we balance the economic, environment and social dimensions for a better region?

How can we address regional disparities for more balanced regional development?

What are the key strategic natural assets we need to protect?

How do we address water and waste water capacity issues in our large urban centres?

How can we build a strong cultural identity and tourism brand for our region?

What are the key infrastructure bottlenecks that ‘unlock’ the growth potential of key sites in our region?

How do we support national commitments and respond to climate change in our region?

How do we measure the success of the RSES?

When completed the plan will include:

• A spatial strategy for the future location of employment, housing and retail development along with supporting infrastructure and services, in a way that enhances the potential of our cities and towns and best protects our environment and our people from the impacts of climate change.
• An economic strategy with strategic policies to boost competitiveness and support a strong future economy and the creation of high-quality jobs for sustained prosperity.
• A Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) to plan for the future sustainable growth of the capital city region as set out in the emerging National Planning Framework.

The RSES will be informed by:

• The National Planning Framework (NPF) – Ireland 2040, economic and other relevant policies of the government, including climate change plans and the ten-year capital investment plan.
• A Socio- Economic Profile for the region, which has been prepared in collaboration with the All Island Research Observatory (AIRO) in Maynooth University, accompanied by a detailed Map Viewer, as part of our commitment to evidence informed policy making
• A Strategic Environmental Assessment, Appropriate Assessment and Flood Risk Assessment process that will inform each stage in the making of the new regional strategy.

To assist in making submission, a number of documents have been published to highlight some of the issues and choices we face in planning for the future:

• An Issues Paper, with key questions to prompt the initial consultation period
• A Socio Economic Profile for the region, was prepared in collaboration with AIRO to provide a comprehensive evidence baseline, accompanied by a series of interactive maps on the EMRA Web Viewer
• The Regional Planning Guidelines, which set the current policy framework
• The Draft National Planning Framework, which set out the proposed national planning framework for the spatial distribution of growth in the regions

Submissions to be made between 20th November 2017 and 5pm on 26th January 2018 (both dates inclusive) through one of the following media: 

Online: www.emra.ie/rses

Email: rses@emra.ie

Mail: Eastern & Midland Regional Assembly, 3rd Floor North, Ballymun Civic Centre, 

Main Street, Ballymun, Dublin, D09 C8P5

The Regional Assembly will consider all submissions made before preparing a Draft Regional 

Spatial and Economic Strategy. All submissions will be acknowledged but it will not be 

possible to issue individual responses. Please note that public submissions may be published 

on our website and subject to Freedom of Information.

The Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly (EMRA) is part of regional governance in Ireland, established under local government reform in January 2015. Our Regional Assembly covers the administrative areas of twelve local authorities– Longford, Westmeath, Offaly, Laois, Louth, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow, Fingal, South Dublin and Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Councils and Dublin City Council. Cllr Kieran Dennison is one of  38 elected members of the Regional Assembly to represent the region. One of their key tasks is to prepare a new Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES).