The Planning and Development Act 2024 was signed into law last month.

The landmark Planning and Development Bill 2023 concluded in the Houses of the Oireachtas in early October and then proceeded to the President of Ireland to be signed into law.

The bill is an attempt to consolidate Irish planning law into a single piece of legislation, and includes changes to An Bord Pleanála, introducing mandatory timelines for decisions and reforming how judicial reviews can be taken against planning applications.

The Bill itself ran to over 730 pages when initiated in 2021, it was returned to the lower House with more than 617 Seanad amendments, with less than 50 considered before the legislation was guillotined.

Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien described it as the most significant reform in planning legislation since 2000. He said it was urgently needed, and would make the planning system more “transparent”. The Minister rejected as “utterly incorrect” persistent Opposition claims that the Bill was rushed and said there had been more than 115 hours of debate at committee.

“This is a pivotal moment for Government in our efforts to ensure we have a planning system that is fit for purpose, both now and into the future. In Housing for All, we committed to overhauling our planning legislation to ensure it was fit for purpose. This legislation does just that by providing clarity, consistency and certainty for all users.

“Because of this legislation we will have a planning system which matches our strong ambitions for housing delivery and critical infrastructure over the coming decades.

“This legislation is the third largest piece of legislation in the history of our State. It is the culmination of a 15-month review which was ordered by then Taoiseach Micheál Martin and carried out by the former Attorney General Paul Gallagher. First published in January 2023, it underwent widespread consultation and has been subject to more than 175 hours of debate across both houses of the Oireachtas. I want to extend my thanks to all those who have engaged constructively on this Bill and to bringing it to this point.”

The Bill is a key Government measure and part of efforts to solve the housing crisis. Its reforms aim to speed up delivery of housing and remove blockages in the planning system that can also delay renewable energy and transport infrastructure projects.

Measures include aligning local and regional plans with the objectives of the National Development Plan. The lifespan of local authority development plans will be increased from five to 10 years to allow them be more strategic.

The Planning and Development Bill 2023 is the culmination of a comprehensive legal review of the Planning and Development Act 2000, led by the Office of the Attorney General, which was initiated by Government in July 2021. Since then, every aspect of the planning legislation has been reviewed with a view to improving clarity, consistency and confidence throughout the Irish planning system.

 

NB – This is a guide for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. If you have an issue requiring legal advice, please contact any of the team at Nolan Farrell & Goff LLP, whose numbers can be found on our website www.nfg.ie, or email info@nfg.ie.