I propose to take Questions Nos. 207, 208 and 209 together.
The powers of planning authorities to enforce planning control and deal with breaches of planning law are currently provided for under the Planning and Development Act 2000, which obliges all planning authorities to investigate and follow through on any complaint of unauthorised development. Enforcement powers include issuing warning letters, enforcement notices, and taking legal action against unauthorized development. The key objectives of planning enforcement are to bring unauthorized development under control, remedy its impacts, and potentially take legal action where necessary.
My Department is cognisant that quarry enforcement cases are often complex and lengthy.
A Steering Group comprising of representatives from my Department and the Local Authorities (via the CCMA) has been established to provide a coordinated national response (with appropriate state backing and resources) to the challenges of enforcement of quarrying.
The Group will:
• coordinate and support local authorities in the enforcement of planning legislation on unauthorised quarry sites, ensuring effective, consistent and properly resourced enforcement action across all identified sites;
• assist with the establishment of a regional enforcement authority to deal with urgent enforcement requirements on certain quarry extraction sites; and
• develop a sustainable enforcement model that can address these and any additional complex enforcement cases that may arise, working towards a longer-term structural solution for specialised planning enforcement.
The Group has met and draft Terms of Reference have been prepared which are currently being reviewed.
The Planning and Development Act, 2024 aims to enhance enforcement of certain activities, such as peat extraction and quarries, through the provision of a new regional structure, on a shared service basis across Local Authorities i.e. regional enforcement authorities.
Section 356 of the 2024 Act provides that the Minister may designate a planning authority as a regional enforcement authority. The Minister may also designate a number of enforcement areas and classes of development to be dealt with by the regional enforcement authority, by reason of the likely size, nature or effect on the surroundings of such development. This section further sets out the functions of the regional enforcement authority and the functions of each planning authority within the regional area.
On 2 October 2025, Section 356 was partially commenced to allow for the establishment of a Regional Enforcement Authority.
It should be noted that at present Local Authorities have full enforcement powers under the current provisions of the Act of 2000, for all enforcement matters including quarrying etc., and are not reliant on the establishment of regional enforcement authorities under the Act of 2024 in order to undertake enforcement related matters.
Any sites on which suspected unlawful extraction is taking place should be notified immediately to the relevant planning authorities/the EPA as appropriate for investigation and further action.
