Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1264. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the plans that are in place to provide additional resources to An Bórd Pleanála to speed up the whole planning process, get more housing units built; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19964/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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An Bord Pleanála (the Board) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and certain other Acts.

The Planning and Development Act 2024, includes a number of new provisions relating to An Bord Pleanála, which will be renamed An Coimisiún Pleanála, as part of a significant restructure. The Act will introduce statutory time periods for decision making for all consent processes, including, for the first time, for the Board/An Coimisiún Pleanála. This will bring increased certainty to the planning consent processes, for both the public and stakeholders involved in the delivery of key infrastructure such as housing and renewable energy. For Coimisiún processes, timelines are being introduced for appeals as well as the various consents applications made directly to the Coimisiún.

In preparation for the transition to An Coimisiún Pleanála, my Department has substantially increased the capacity of the Board to clear the backlog of outstanding cases and to ensure the processing of all planning cases in a timely manner now and into the future. As of 31 December 2024, 290 people were working in the Board (including a full complement of 15 Board Members). When all approved posts are filled, over 300 people will be employed by the Board. This will represent an increase of over 50% in the overall agreed staffing levels at the Board since 2021.

This increase in resources is yielding significant results. The total number of cases on hand on 31 March was 1,369, down from 2,272 on the equivalent date in 2024, a reduction of 40% in one year. As recently as May 2023, the equivalent figure was 3,616 cases, a 60% reduction in just under two years.