Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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1578. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures being taken to streamline planning processes for critical infrastructure projects like the Metro; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42862/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024 and is in the process of being commenced. The Act of 2024 introduces a range of measures to streamline the planning process for critical infrastructure projects.

The Act of 2024 introduces statutory time periods for decision making for An Coimisiún Pleanála (An Coimisiún) for the first time. The headline time periods for An Coimisiún will range from 18 weeks for appeals of decisions of planning authorities to 48 weeks for larger-scale Strategic Infrastructure Developments. The varying timelines reflect the differing complexities of applications dealt with by An Coimisiún.

The Act of 2024 also makes important reforms in relation to Judicial Review (JR). It:

• removes the requirement to apply for leave to apply for JR proceedings which reduces time and removes unnecessary additional legal costs to all parties.
• requires that an application for JR may only be made on the grounds of challenge raised by the applicant in the statement of grounds filed with their application and sets out limited criteria by which the Court may allow subsequent amendments to that statement of grounds.
• provides that an applicant for JR will not be permitted to plead a ground in JR proceedings unless they have a sufficient interest in the matter to which the ground relates.