Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 October 2025
237. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider an exemption from planning permission for the installation of bike sheds in front gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54534/25]
View answer238. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding the proposed planning exemption for small bike sheds in gardens; the work ongoing in his Department into this proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54543/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 237 and 238 together.
The Planning and Development Act 2024 (Act of 2024) was enacted in October 2024 and is in the process of being commenced. In the meantime, the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended (Act of 2000), and associated Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (Regulations of 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until the relevant sections of the Act of 2024 are commenced and the corresponding sections of the Act of 2000 are repealed. Unless specifically exempted, all development requires planning permission.
A review of the current Exempted Development Regulations is ongoing and a four-week public consultation period on the matter concluded on 26 August 2025. The consultation on exempted development regulations generated a significant response from the public, with almost 1,000 submissions received via the online consultation portal.
These submissions are currently being reviewed and will inform new draft Exempted Development Regulations, which must then be subject to screening for Environmental Assessment, before being laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This will also necessitate engagement with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
New Regulations under the Planning and Development Act 2024 (the Act of 2024) will be signed into law in tandem with the commencement of Part 2 and Part 4 of the Act of 2024 and the updated exempted development provisions will form part of the new Regulations. While the commencement of Part 4 of the Act of 2024 is currently scheduled for for the end of 2025 certain elements of the new exempted development provisions, including agricultural effluent storage arising from the need to facilitate compliance with the EU Nitrates Directive, will be progressed for advance inclusion in the current Regulations and will also be carried forward into the new Regulations.
