Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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143. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding the public consultation on widening planning exemptions to allow people to build garden rooms and extend their homes; if there is a timeline for when it will be launched; if the parameters of the consultation can be outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36481/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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While the Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024, it is in the process of being commenced. The provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (Act of 2000), and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (Regulations 2001) remain in force until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the corresponding sections of the Act of 2000 are repealed.

A review of the current Exempted Development Regulations is ongoing and a public consultation on exempted development regulations is due to be undertaken this month. Members of the public, state bodies and all other parties will be able to make submissions in writing via an online portal as part of the consultation process.

The Government cannot pre-empt the outcome of any consultation and therefore no decision has been made in respect of any revisions to current exempted development provisions, including those in relation to larger unattached structures, sometimes referred to as ‘log cabins’ and ‘garden rooms’, and extensions to dwellings in rear gardens.

Any update to Exempted Development Regulations will require positive resolutions by both Houses of the Oireachtas before it can be signed into law.