planning permission should be granted for one-off housing in rural areas under certain conditions.
The Minister for the Environment has backed the Taoiseach's view that
Following the Taoiseach's statement of support for such housing, which is opposed by environmental groups, Mr Cullen said he, too, supported the case.
"It is difficult to be prescriptive for every area," he said. "But if someone has roots in an area and makes an economic contribution to an area, then they are entitled to live there and build a house there.
"The planning policy is clearly set out in the National Spatial Strategy.
"Regional authorities will reflect the aims of the strategy as they draw up their planning guidelines".
However, Labour's environment spokesman, Mr Eamon Gilmore, claimed the Taoiseach was pretending to support people in the countryside selling sites or seeking planning permission while his Government was "giving an official nod to An Bord Pleanála to refuse the very same planning permissions. The Taoiseach and his Government need to make up their mind."
He said An Bord Pleanála was required by law to take into account government policy when it was asked to adjudicate on planning applications and decisions.
"An Bord Pleanála could now be forgiven for being confused following the Taoiseach's statement yesterday," Mr Gilmore said.
He called on Mr Cullen to make "a comprehensive statement of policy on housing in rural areas so that we can distinguish between the nod-and- wink approach the Taoiseach has adopted in this matter and so that we can assess whether or not yesterday's soundbite represents Government policy in this matter."
Lorna Siggins adds:
The Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Mr Frank Fahey, has welcomed the Taoiseach's remarks this week on one-off rural housing and has accused planning officials of being far too restrictive in their "interpretation" of county development plans.
The Galway West TD described as unacceptable the current policy pursued by planning officials, "whereby residents of rural Ireland are expected to live in towns and villages where there is a lack of adequate water and sewerage services".