Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
769. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the publication of updated rural housing guidelines; if he intends to amend the definition of ribbon development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11707/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Question No 769, 770 and 805 together.
The Revised National Planning Framework (NPF) 2025, sets out high-level national policies and objectives, which are essential to achieving proper planning and sustainable development, with a clear vision to guide future development and investment decisions.
The NPF sets out the spatial planning policy approach to accommodating projected population and housing growth to 2040 in a manner which delivers balanced regional development and more sustainable compact growth of our cities and towns, in line with National Strategic Objective (NSO) 1 of ‘Compact Growth’. The national compact growth objective was introduced in response to an identified need to counter the trend of urban sprawl, to support the targeted delivery of infrastructure and services and promote our cities and towns to be self-sustaining and viable places in which to live and work. The NPF notes the high cost of infrastructure delivery and unsustainable forms of development associated with scattered and linear patterns of ‘strip’ or ‘ribbon development’.
With regard to rural areas, the NPF recognises that the Irish countryside is, and will continue to be, a living and lived-in landscape, in line with NSO 3 ‘Strengthened Rural Economies and Communities’, while at the same time protecting the capacity of the environment and avoiding ribbon and over-spill development from urban areas. As set out in Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030 - An Action Plan on Housing Supply and Targeting Homelessness, I intend to publish a National Planning Statement in of the second half of 2026 that will set out relevant planning criteria to be applied in local authority development plans for one-off rural housing, based on the high level policy framework set in the NPF.
My Department is currently preparing a draft National Planning Statement (NPS) for Government approval, to be issued under Section 25 of the Planning and Development Act of 2024 in order to provide consistency in the approach to rural housing across the country.
The NPS will expand on the high level spatial planning policy of the National Planning Framework (NPF), in particular on National Policy Objective (NPO) 28 which relates to rural housing. This objective makes a clear policy distinction between rural areas under urban influence (i.e. areas within the commuter catchment of cities, large towns and centres of employment), and structurally weaker rural areas where population levels may be low or declining. NPO 28 is also aligned with the established approach whereby considerations of social or economic need are to be applied by planning authorities in the assessment of development proposals for new one-off housing in rural areas under urban influence.
Since the publication of the current Sustainable Rural Housing Guidelines in 2005 under Section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (which continue to have effect in addition to subsequent clarifications and national policy changes in the NPF) there have been important changes to our planning system and our obligations under European Directives and international agreements. Due care is being taken to ensure the draft National Planning Statement will not conflict with fundamental EU freedoms, will comply with EU environmental requirements and will have due regard to decisions of the European Court of Justice.
When making a decision in relation to an application for permission for a one-off rural house, a planning authority is restricted to considering the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, regard being had to, inter alia, the National Planning Framework, the provisions of the relevant development plan and any relevant Ministerial guidelines.
The NPF objectives together with the 2005 Guidelines, which remain in effect pending the finalisation of the National Planning Statement, enable planning authorities to prepare and adopt local development plan policies for one-off housing in rural areas
