Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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738. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will outline the process he envisages will be used by local authorities to accommodate additional residential zoning; if this will be done by amendment or review of County Developments Plans; if instruction has issued; if not when will they issue to commence this process; the timeline planned by him for completion of the rezoning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28944/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The local authority Development Plan is the principal planning strategy document which sets out the relevant policies and objectives to guide the physical development of each city and county over a six-year period and is required to be consistent with the National Planning Framework (NPF) and the relevant Regional Spatial and Economic Strategy.

The Revised NPF was approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. This concluded the Revision process and allows the revised NPF to take effect in the planning system. The Revised NPF provides the basis for the review and updating of Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies and local authority development plans to reflect matters such as updated housing figures, projected jobs growth and renewable energy capacity allocations, including through the zoning of land for residential, employment and a range of other purposes.

Given the urgent need to ensure that the updated housing requirements can be incorporated into the planning system as quickly as possible to address housing need and demand, local authorities will be required to update their current development plans, in line with a clear policy direction, which is intended to issue as soon as possible. It is intended that this will involve the variation of current development plans under the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended) in the first instance, with the steps associated with the variation process set out within Section 13 of the 2000 Act.

Each of the local authorities will be required to prepare 10 year development plans in due course by each of the local authorities under the relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which is being implemented on a phased basis over the coming months. These 10 year plans will also be required to take the updated planned housing growth requirements arising from the Revised NPF into account.