Following a number of newspaper articles that appeared in recent days in relation to the status of the zoning of the lands at St James' Hospital, Dublin City Council have released the following facts.

In a statement the Council said: "The zoning of land for particular uses, e.g. Housing, Industry etc, is a mandatory objective in the making of a Development Plan and sufficient land must be zoned to meet the future land-use needs of the city. Z15 Zoning in the City Development Plan enabled the City Council to provide sufficient lands for institutional purposes including hospitals close to large centres of population.

"Last year the Religious Sisters of Charity took a legal case to the High Court against Dublin City Council in relation to all the lands zoned Z15 in the current City Development Plan 2011-2017. The High Court concluded that there was an absence of reason to support the Z15 zoning policy as contained in the City Plan and concluded that it had no option but to quash the zoning. It should be noted that the High Court considered that the overall policy approach for these Z15 lands was justified in principle and that it was appropriate and proper for the City Council to provide sufficient lands for institutional purposes. The High Court ordered Dublin City Council to follow a specific public consultation procedure to develop an appropriate planning policy for the lands in question.

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"As a result of the High Court judgment Dublin City Council has carried out a comprehensive review of all former Z15 lands in the city, and concluded that these lands, including those forming the St James Hospital campus, are an important resource for the city in the provision of health, education and other community services.

"Dublin City Council agreed at a special meeting held on the 8th Oct 2012 that this proposed new Z15 zoning policy should go out to Public Consultation. The proposal is currently on public display until the 26th November following which the City Council Members will give considerations to the submissions received and the Managers Report on same at a further Special Meeting which is scheduled for the 28th January 2013."