Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 December 2025
503. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all national planning policy statements currently being prepared by his Department, in tabular form. [73476/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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. Under the provisions of the Act of 2024 the Minster may, at any time and with the approval of Government, issue a National Planning Statement 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.
The sequence and timing of replacing existing guidelines with National Planning Statements will be decided based on Government priorities.
The delivery of housing is a top priority for Government. The Government’s new housing action plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities supports the delivery of the revised National Planning Framework housing projections which set out the need to plan for the delivery of approximately 50,000 additional homes per annum to 2040. In order to provide much needed certainty to support housing delivery, and strictly without prejudice to current legal proceedings relating to the 'Planning Design Standards for Apartments Guidelines for Planning Authorities', issued in July 2025, a draft National Planning Statement relating to apartment standards is being prepared.
The Housing Action Plan also commits to the preparation of National Planning Statements with regard to short-term letting, rural housing and housing within Gaeltacht areas. In addition, the recently-published Accelerating Infrastructure Taskforce Report and Plan commits to the preparation of a National Planning Statement relating to critical infrastructure.
