Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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449. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government in relation to the current situation with the section 179A planning exemption that replaced the part 8 process for social housing approvals, if this planning process for local authorities has been or will be extended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14982/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Section 179A of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, (the Act of 2000) was inserted by the Planning and Development and Foreshore (Amendment) Act 2022. The effect of Section 179A of the Act of 2000 is to exempt qualifying local authority housing development from the ‘Part 8’ process and to enable notification and determination procedures for such development.

Section 179A of the Act of 2000 was subject to housing development by local authorities commencing prior to 31 December 2024. This provision has not been extended, therefore local authorities may not commence any new housing developments under section 179A of the Act of 2000. Any housing developments commenced prior to 31 December 2024 under section 179A of the Act of 2000, may be completed under that section.

It should be noted that the Planning and Development Act 2024 (the Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024 but is not yet fully commenced. The Act of 2024 includes a provision under section 161 of the Act of 2024 to mirror section 179A of the Act of 2000 and will require that local authority developments must have commenced prior to 31 December 2025.

As set out in the recently published Implementation Plan, Part 4 of the Act of 2024, that includes Section 161, is scheduled to be brought into effect towards the latter half of this year.

As the provision of section 179A cannot be utilised by local authorities for the commencement of any new housing developments, local authorities revert to using the provisions under section 179 of the Act of 2000, commonly referred to the 'Part 8 ' process which is a reserved function of the elected members of the relevant local authority.