An Taisce has strongly criticised the National Spatial Strategy, saying it appeared to be "an exercise in rhetoric with no likelihood of implementation".
In a statement yesterday, the environmental group said there was no indication that local authorities would be required to follow through on the strategy's goals.
"Regional balance will remain a mere aspiration", and "there will be no end to the pattern of more than one third of housing being built one-off in the countryside," An Taisce said. The strategy's provisions on housing were welcomed by the Independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Ms Marian Harkin.
"There has to be a more flexible approach to once-off housing and rural housing. I'm really pleased that a blanket approach has not been taken."
She said it was vital the Government began implementation as soon as possible, and an important gesture in this regard would be to extend the broadband network to the west. "There should be a supplementary estimate in the Budget to allow for this. It would cost about €25 million, and would be a real, tangible sign that the Government is serious about implementing the strategy."
Ms Harkin, former chairwoman of the Council for the West, said that region had traditionally fared worst in infrastructural funding, and "re-prioritising" was called for. "I'm not suggesting Luas does not need to be completed. But there has been an over-spend in certain parts of the country, which has been matched by an under-spend in others."
The Green Party's transport spokesman, Mr Eamon Ryan TD said the strategy, published on Thursday, needed to be followed up by a national transport plan.
"The current obsession with building 800 kilometres of new motorways, all leading to the capital, will further suck new development towards the east coast," he said.
