The National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) publishes its Second Review of Monitoring Reports on Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies

Today NOAC is delighted to publish its Second Review of Monitoring Reports on Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) by Regional Assemblies, with the invaluable support of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR).

This report is the second such review of the monitoring reports of the RSES, with the first review having been published in March 2024. The Report provides a comprehensive assessment of the two-year monitoring reports of the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy (RSES) prepared by the three Regional Assemblies in Ireland.

While the responsibility for reviewing these monitoring reports will pass from NOAC to the OPR under Section 35 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, as this part of the Act has yet to be commenced, NOAC continues to have responsibility for these reports.

NOAC requested the assistance of the OPR, which has specific expertise in this area, in undertaking this review. The report sets out key findings and recommendations that should assist in supporting the ongoing monitoring and implementation of the RSES. The key findings were shared with the Minister of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne, T.D.

These key findings from the report included:

• Having stronger structural and governance relationships between the regional assemblies, Department of Housing, Local Government and Housing, Government Departments and other government bodies and agencies and the Project Ireland 2040 Board.
• To consider a number of mechanisms to achieve stronger alignment between national funding (NDP) and the delivery of the National Planning Framework and RSES.
• Prioritising housing delivery in the Regional Cities, Growth Centres and Key Towns, and align the national funding schemes to deliver the housing supply targets of the National Planning Framework.
• To consider suggested mechanisms to assist in implementing national objectives for climate action, renewable energy and the marine environment.
• The establishment of formal collaboration frameworks between the regional assemblies and national enterprise agencies to prioritise and direct investment toward Regional Growth Centres and Key Towns to create high-value jobs.
• Fostering stronger north-south cooperation and alignment on blue economy and marine spatial planning initiatives across regional and national borders.

The Chair of NOAC, Michael McCarthy, would like to thank the members of the NOAC Working Group on Local Government Governance and Reform, the NOAC Secretariat and the OPR for their assistance in preparing this comprehensive report, as well as the Regional Assemblies for their ongoing engagement with NOAC.

To view the Report, please use the link provided below:

https://cdn.noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Review-of-Monitoring-Reports-on-RSES-by-Regional_Assemblies.pdf

For further information regarding the Second Review of Monitoring Reports on Regional and Economic Strategies by Regional Assemblies Report, or any of NOAC’s other reports, please do not hesitate to contact noac@housing.gov.ie.

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