The Government agreed a proposed policy direction for rural and Gaeltacht housing on 30 June 2026. This means that the Draft National Planning Statement (NPS) on Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing, prepared by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage under Section 25 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, can now move to environmental assessment under relevant EU Directives, prior to its approval by Government.
The new draft Statement refines and updates the existing 2005 Rural Housing Guidelines to reflect the 2024 Act and the established policy in the Revised National Planning Framework (NPF), which is to facilitate new rural housing for those with a local rural housing need, balanced with preventing urban generated sprawl in rural areas under urban development pressures, protecting and promoting the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Gaeltacht, and the regeneration of rural towns and villages.
The proposed new policy approach seeks to provide more clarity and consistency across the various planning authorities by defining the relevant planning and local needs criteria to be applied in local development plans and in the consideration of planning applications for single rural housing in rural and Gaeltacht areas.
The draft NPS will now be assessed for the purposes of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Appropriate Assessment (AA) under the EU SEA and Birds and Habitats Directives, including any necessary associated consultation, in advance of the planned publication before the end of 2026.
Under Section 25 of the 2024 Planning and Development Act, draft National Planning Statements are subject to approval by Government prior to issue by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Until they are replaced by any final National Planning Statement, the 2005 Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines for Planning Authorities, 2005 remain in effect.
The commencement of provisions within Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 on 2 October 2025 provides the statutory basis for the issuing of National Planning Statements (NPSs). Under the provisions of the Act of 2024 the Minster may, at any time and with the approval of Government, issue a NPS in relation to planning matters to support proper planning and sustainable development.
National Planning Statements will replace Ministerial guidelines issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended). Existing Ministerial Guidelines issued under Section 28 of the Act of 2000 will, over time, be revoked and replaced with National Planning Statements. Section 27 (1) of the Act of 2024 states that, notwithstanding the repeal of Section 28 of the Act of 2000, guidelines issued under that section that were in force immediately before the repeal of that section, shall continue in force until revoked or replaced by a National Planning Statement.
Section 25(4) (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/section/25/revised/en/html) of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (the Act) provides that a National Planning Statement takes effect on such date as may be specified therein or, where no date is specified, on the date of publication.
Section 42(8) (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/section/42/revised/en/html) of the Act requires that in reviewing, making, or varying a development plan, a planning authority shall ensure that the development plan is materially consistent with any relevant National Planning Policies and Measures contained in a NPS and take due account of any relevant National Planning Policy Guidance therein.
Section 61 (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/section/61/revised/en/html) specifies that where the Minister issues a NPS, each planning authority shall submit a report to the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) within 2 months setting out its view as to whether its development plan is materially consistent with the National Planning Policies and Measures contained within that NPS. Where a planning authority is of the view that there is material inconsistency, the report must set out what steps the planning authority proposes to take to remove the material inconsistency concerned.
Upon consideration of the report, if the OPR is of the opinion that there is material inconsistency, and is satisfied with the steps proposed in the report, it shall inform the planning authority, and the Chief Executive of the planning authority shall invoke the expedited variation procedure set out in section 62 of the Act.
If the OPR is not satisfied with the steps proposed by the planning authority, it is required to make a recommendation to the Minister that a draft ministerial direction should be issued. The Minister then considers this recommendation.
Under section 62 (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/section/62/revised/en/html) of the Act, within 6 weeks of being informed that the OPR is satisfied with the steps proposed by the planning authority, the Chief Executive of the planning authority is required to prepare a draft variation to the development plan and to conduct screening for AA and SEA. In carrying out any screening assessment, the Chief Executive must take account of any such assessment that the Minister conducted in respect of the relevant NPS.
Where the Chief Executive determines that AA and / or SEA, is required, the draft variation may only be made under the variation process set out in section 58 of the Act. The timelines associated with the section 58 variation process are set out in that section.
Under section 62, the expedited variation process, where the Chief Executive determines that neither AA nor SEA is required in respect of a draft variation, he or she shall propose the draft variation to the members of the planning authority for adoption by resolution.
The proposed variation shall be deemed to have been made at the expiration of a period of 6 weeks from the date of the proposal unless the members of the planning authority, within that period, by resolution reject the proposed variation.
Where the members reject a proposed expedited variation under section 62, the Chief Executive shall advise the OPR, and the OPR shall consider whether to make a recommendation to the Minister to issue a draft direction.
Section 86 (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/section/86/revised/en/html) of the Act of 2024 (which is not yet commenced) states that when performing any function under Part 4 "Development Consents" (https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2024/act/34/front/revised/en/html#:~:text=PART%204,Development%20Consents), a planning authority or An Coimisiún Pleanála (the Commission), shall have regard to principles of proper planning and sustainable development, and in particular to such provisions of a National Planning Statement as are not the subject of any provision in a development plan.
The section further provides that where a planning authority or the Commission makes a decision that, in any material respect, is inconsistent with a provision of a National Planning Statement it shall identify that provision, and state the main reasons for making a decision that is inconsistent with that provision and the matters taken into consideration.
Furthermore, all development consent decision-making functions of planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála (including permissions, appeals, consents and approvals) continue to operate under the Planning and Development Act 2000 until such time as Part 4 of the Act of 2024 is brought into operation.
