Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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431. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of cases that have occurred of the dezoning of land due to the 50:50 rule within the National Planning Framework. [5742/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a broad national plan for strategic planning and sustainable development of urban and rural areas, with the objectives of securing balanced regional development and a sustainable approach to the form and pattern of future development.

The NPF targets the five cities (Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford) for 50% of overall national growth between them, with Ireland’s large and smaller towns, villages and rural areas accommodating the other 50% growth.

The ‘Development Plans Guidelines for Planning Authorities’ which were issued by my Department in June 2022 set policy and guidance to assist local authorities in ensuring that their city or county development plan is consistent with the strategic national and regional planning policy, and thereby establish a ‘plan-led’ context for decision-making by planning authorities.

The zoning of land for particular uses is an exercise undertaken as part of the overall statutory plan making function of the local authority under relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 (as amended) (the Act). Under this legislation, the decision to zone land is specifically a reserved function of the Elected Members of the Planning Authority.

In preparing their statutory plans, including in relation to the zoning of land for particular purposes, the elected members are required to consider and be consistent with, the established statutory national and regional planning policy and legislation, including as identified in the National Planning Framework, Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and relevant Ministerial planning guidelines.

The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) was formally established in April 2019 under the Act and one of the core functions of the Office is to undertake the independent evaluation of statutory plans to ensure that such plans under preparation are consistent with national and regional planning policy and legislation, as required by the Act. Where necessary to ensure such consistency, the Office may recommend to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage that a direction should be issued to a local authority to make certain changes to the plan.

As the responsibility for the making of a development plan rests with the 31 local authorities, my Department does not hold data in relation to the 'dezoning' of land within individual plans and the relevant local authority websites may be viewed for such data where available. However, the OPR website contains information in relation to Section 31 Directions issued further to a recommendation received from the Office:

Albert Dolan (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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432. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the details of each instance where the Office of the Planning Regulator has requested or advised local authorities to reduce residentially zoned land capacity; and to outline the reasons given in each case. [5743/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) is an independent public body which was established on 3 April 2019 under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended to perform the following functions:

1. independent assessment of all local authority forward planning and regional assembly forward planning, including development plans, local area plans and regional spatial and economic strategies;
2. reviews of the organisation, systems and procedures used by any planning authority, including An Bord Pleanála, in the performance of any of their planning functions under the 2000 Act; and
3. conducting national education and training programmes for members and staff of planning authorities and regional assemblies in relation to proper planning and sustainable development; and also conducting research on matters relevant to the OPR’s functions and such other matters as may be requested by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.