Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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519. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if local authorities have received clarity on the process for drafting of development plans given the potential changes to be introduced on implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024. [37370/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted on 17 October 2024. Given its scale, the Act of 2024 is being commenced on a phased basis to facilitate the transition from arrangements under the current Planning and Development Act 2000 (Act of 2000) to the new legislative framework. A comprehensive Implementation Plan has been published that includes a detailed commencement schedule for the Act and a range of initiatives to support training and engagement for the planning sector. The Implementation Plan is a ‘living document’ that informs and guides the commencement and rollout of the Act of 2024 and it will be updated as required to remain relevant throughout the period of its implementation. This is available at gov.ie/planning.

An Implementation Oversight Group has been established and is meeting on a regular basis. It is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Act of 2024. A wide range of stakeholders and public bodies are represented on it, including local authorities, regional assemblies, An Coimisiún Pleanála, the Office of the Planning Regulator, state infrastructure/utility providers and the professional planning institutes. One of the key areas being examined is the commencement of Part 3 of the Act which deals, inter alia, with development plans

Chapter 5 of Part 3 of the Act of 2024 sets out the procedures which will apply to Development Plans once commenced. Development plans will have a 10-year lifespan rather than the current 6-year lifespan and will be more strategic in nature than under the Act of 2000. An interim review of the development plan will occur at year 5, in order to take account of wider changes since the plan was prepared and to allow for update, if required. This will provide more up-to-date and strategic plans; providing greater certainty that there is sufficient zoned land available at all times to align with the needs of the housing and economic development and again, providing greater certainty over a longer period for all stakeholders.

The Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025 is currently before the House. it includes proposed amendments to Part 3 of the Act of 2024 to help ensure that, in line with the approval of the revised NPF, updated housing requirements can be incorporated into the planning system as quickly as possible and local authorities will have clarity on the processes which will apply to development plans and on-going variations to development plans. The Bill provides, inter alia, that:

• Where the making of a development plan or a development plan variation has commenced under the Act of 2000 prior to the commencement of Part 3 of the Act of 2024, the making of the plan or the variation to a plan continues under the Act of 2000, notwithstanding its repeal.
• Where a plan is made under the Act of 2000 and continued in force under the Act of 2024, any subsequent variation of that plan under the Act of 2024 will be assessed with respect to the variation only rather than the criteria in the Act of 2024.
• Guidelines, Strategies and Plans made under the Act of 2000 and continued in force under the Act of 2024 on the commencement of Part 3 should be regarded in decision making processes under the Act of 2024.