Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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On 20 June 2023, Government gave approval to commence the process of undertaking the First Revision of the National Planning Framework (NPF), pursuant to Section 20C (5) of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) and to publish a Roadmap for the First Revision outlining the process and timeline for the revision process.

Further to Census 2022, my Department engaged the Economic Social and Research Institute (ESRI) to update their previous projections relating to population growth to 2040, based on demographic and econometric modelling and having regard to the results of Census 2022 and other factors with potential to influence fertility, mortality and migration trends. In addition, the research will outline projections relating to structural housing demand having regard to factors such as headship and obsolescence.

The ESRI are currently finalising their report, which will then be peer-reviewed prior to publication.

This ESRI data is critical in order to finalise the updates to population targets on a regional basis to 2030 and 2040 as included in the strategy, and other key elements related to the estimated number of houses required to be accommodated over the period to 2040.

Accordingly, on 5 March, the Government agreed to the deferral of the approval of a draft and final revised NPF. A Statement from the Government in this regard was published and can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b7288-statement-from-department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/.