Planning and Development Act 2024

The Planning and Development Act 2024 is a major reform to speed up housing delivery and make the planning system clearer and more efficient.

• Statutory timelines for all planning decisions – giving certainty to applicants, communities, and developers.
• Stronger alignment between national and local policy.
• Ten-year local authority plans for long-term, strategic development.
• New tools like:
  • Urban Development Zones
  • Urban and Priority Area Plans
  • Tailored plans for Gaeltacht and Island communities

The Act is being introduced in stages:

• June 2025: First phase began, including the creation of An Coimisiún Pleanála.
• August 2025: Reformed planning judicial review introduced.
• October 2025: National Planning Statements and frameworks commenced. Further phases will follow before the end of 2025.

The Department is developing a National Planning Excellence Framework to:

• Highlight best practice.
• Identify areas for improvement.
• Support planning authorities with resources and expertise.

Government is also:

• Implementing the Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources.
• Increasing staffing in An Coimisiún Pleanála (now almost 300 staff).
• Reviewing the role of the Office of the Planning Regulator to ensure it supports housing delivery.