asked the Minister for Local Government whether the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963 will be amended so as to include in schedule 1 those towns which have exceeded 1,000 persons in population since its enactment and for which development plans are mandatory.

I would refer the Deputy to section 2 (8) of the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963, which enables the First Schedule to that Act to be varied if it should appear necessary to do so.