93.— The Act of 2000 is amended by inserting after section 31 the following:

“31A.— (1) Where the Minister considers that any draft regional planning guidelines fail to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of a regional authority or otherwise significantly fail to comply with this Act, the Minister may, within 4 weeks of receipt of a notice under section 24(4), for stated reasons, direct the authority, or authorities, to take such specified measures as he or she may require to ensure that the regional planning guidelines, when made, are in compliance with this Act and, notwithstanding the requirements of Chapter III, the authority shall comply with any such direction.

(2) (a) Where a submission received by the Minister prepared in accordance with section 31G(1) contains a statement of the type referred to in section 31G(1)(b), the Minister may, for stated reasons, direct the authorities to take such specified measures, as he or she may require, to review the draft regional planning guidelines to ensure consistency between the draft regional planning guidelines and the transport strategy of the DTA and the authorities shall comply with any such direction.

(b) Where the Minister decides not to issue a direction under this subsection, he or she shall inform the DTA in writing of the reasons for such decision.

(c) Nothing in this subsection shall preclude the Minister from issuing a direction in circumstances other than those referred to in paragraph (a).

(3) Where the Minister considers that any regional planning guidelines fail to set out an overall strategy for the proper planning and sustainable development of the area of the authority or otherwise significantly fail to comply with this Act, the Minister may, within 4 weeks of the making of guidelines under section 24(6), for stated reasons, direct the regional authority, or authorities, to take such specified measures, as he or she may require to review the regional planning guidelines to ensure compliance with this Act and the authority shall comply with any such direction.

(4) Where the Minister directs a regional authority to take specified measures under subsection (3), he or she may specify any of those provisions of Chapter III which are to apply in respect of such specified measures and any other provisions of that Chapter shall be disregarded.

(5) In exercising any power conferred on it by this Act, a regional authority shall not exercise the power in conflict with any direction which the Minister may give under subsections (1) to (3).

(6) The Minister shall cause a copy of any direction issued under this section to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(7) A regional authority shall make available for inspection by members of the public any direction issued to it under this section.”.