Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on whether Roscommon and Galway local authorities have been directed to reopen their development plans to re-zone land for housing; and the measures being taken to ensure compliance with Revised National Planning Framework. [53753/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Revised National Planning Framework (NPF) was finalised and approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The Revised NPF strategy sets out the need to plan for a projected population of at least 6.1m people in Ireland by 2040. Taking into account ‘pent-up’ demand, the strategy sets out a need to plan for the delivery of approximately 50,000 additional housing units per annum nationally, to 2040.

To ensure that local authority development plans reflect the requirements of the NPF in respect of housing as soon as possible, I issued the NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in July 2025. These Guidelines set out the housing demand scenario to 2040 for each local authority, by translating the NPF housing requirements into average annual figures and set out the requirement for planning authorities to commence the process of varying their development plan to meet the new housing growth requirements.

The zoning of land for particular purposes, including housing, is an exercise undertaken by planning authorities as part of their statutory development plan function under sections 9 to 13 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

Further to the issuing of the Guidelines in July 2025, planning authorities, including Roscommon County Council and Galway County Council, are currently assessing their current development plans and undertaking a review of the adequacy of existing zoned lands to cater for the new Housing Growth Requirement figures and the potential for ‘additional provision’.

This review and analysis will inform the preparation of a Chief Executive’s report to be submitted to the elected members which will set out the position in respect of each local authority, and the Chief Executive’s recommendations to the members as to what variations to the Plan may be required in order to meet the requirements of the Guidelines. A copy of the Chief Executive’s report is required to be submitted to the Minister and to the Office of the Planning Regulator.