PUBLIC INVITED TO HAVE THEIR SAY ON COUNTY’S FUTURE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTION

PETER HUGHES

Monaghan people have been strongly encouraged to make their voices heard in the coming weeks about the direction of their county’s future development. The members of Monaghan Co Council voted on Monday to send the draft Co Development Plan for 2025-2031 out to public consultation. Public submissions on the document can be made from today (Thursday) until November 14. Cathaoirleach of the Council, Sinn Féin local public representative Cathy Bennett, encouraged the general public to read through the document and determine if there was anything they wanted amended, and to make a submission in relation to this.

Senior Planner Adrian Hughes told the meeting that they had reached the important milestone of asking the members to formally consider the draft Co Development Plan and let it go to public consultation. They had previously discussed the draft plan in April, when the members had given the planners strategic direction, and the draft plan was issued to members by email in July. If the members agreed, the process of public consultation would begin on Thursday September 5 and would continue for ten weeks until November 14.

Submissions could be made in that period which would be considered. A Chief Executive’s Report would be prepared which would contain recommendations in relation to the submissions. They would then come back to the elected members in February or March next year to consider the submissions and hopefully make the final plan. At the February or March meeting, the elected members could propose amendments to the draft plan and another period of public consultation would take place.

Mr Hughes outlined to the meeting the extensive engagement which had taken place in the course of the draft plan’s preparation, a process which he described as critical to the plan. The level of engagement with the elected members had probably been unparalleled and members had gone through the plan in detail – there had been a colossal involvement by…