Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 December 2025
217. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current performance monitoring framework his Department uses to assess the operational output and decision timelines of An Coimisiún Pleanála, including the specific indicators tracked, the reporting schedule, and any interventions or support actions taken by his Department in response to identified underperformance. [70399/25]
View answer221. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm whether his Department holds internal performance reviews, audits or risk assessments regarding the operational capacity of An Coimisiún Pleanála; and the findings from the most recent reviews relating to governance, output, and decision making delays. [70403/25]
View answer223. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his Department’s current governance oversight arrangements for An Coimisiún Pleanála, including reporting obligations, performance metrics, compliance assessments and the measures used by his Department to ensure that statutory timeframes, once commenced, are met in practice. [70406/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 217, 221 and 223 together.
An Coimisiún Pleanála (An Coimisiún) is the national independent statutory body with responsibility for the determination of planning appeals and direct applications for strategic infrastructure and other developments under the Planning and Development Act 2024, as amended, and certain other Acts.
A substantially revised organisational structure sees An Coimisiún Pleanála supported by three central pillars –
• A Governing Body - responsible for the governance and performance of the organisation, led by the Governing Board and Chairperson.
• Planning Commissioners – who are responsible for all decision making regarding appeals and applications made to ACP under the new Act.
• A separate Corporate Structure – led by an overall CEO, a strengthened management team and organisational structure will undertake all organisational and technical functions to support the core decision-making role.
The Planning Commissioners, previously the Board members, retain responsibility for all decision making regarding appeals and applications made, while the governance of the organisation is the function of the new Governing Board. The Governing Board is supported by the corporate side of the organisation which provides support to all of the organisations and functions are overseen by a Chief Executive Officer.
The Act when fully commenced will introduce statutory time periods for decision making for all consent processes, including, for the first time, for An Coimisiún. This will bring increased certainty to the planning consent processes, for both the public and stakeholders involved in the delivery of key infrastructure such as housing and renewable energy.
Annual statistics can be found on the website of An Coimisiún here: [www.pleanala.ie/en-ie/statistics/annual-statistics]
My Department carries out an oversight and governance role under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies in relation to An Coimisiún. An Coimisiún reports on a monthly basis to my Department across a number of metrics as per the Performance Delivery Agreement and Oversight Agreement which are in place under the Code. These metrics will include the statutory timeframes once commenced.
