Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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312. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current staffing numbers in the Office of the Planning Regulator. [9852/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR), headed up by the new Planning Regulator, was established on 3 April 2019.

The OPR is responsible for the independent assessment of all local authority and regional assembly forward planning, including development plans, local area plans, regional spatial and economic strategies.

It can review the organisation, systems and procedures used by any planning authority or An Bord Pleanála in the performance of any of their planning functions.

It is also enabled to drive national research, training, education and public information programmes to establish best practice in planning matters and highlight the role and benefit of proper planning.

The OPR have an approved complement of 26 full time staff. Twenty-one positions are currently filled, including the position of Planning Regulator and Deputy Planning Regulator, and 5 positions are currently in recruitment phase.