I propose to take Question No 775 and Question No 776 together.
The Revised National Planning Framework (NPF) was finalised and approved by Government and the Oireachtas in April 2025. The NPF identifies the need to plan for approximately 50,000 additional households per annum to 2040.
To ensure that local authority development plans reflect the requirements of the NPF in respect of housing as soon as possible, I issued the NPF Implementation: Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 in July 2025. These guidelines set out the housing demand scenario to 2040 for each local authority, by translating the NPF housing requirements into average annual figures and require planning authorities to commence the process of varying their development plan to meet the new housing growth requirements.
In addition to the baseline housing growth requirement, planning authorities have been requested to address the scope for additional provision of up to 50% in excess of the baseline figure, in light of the urgent need to increase housing delivery, and to optimise the ability to deliver on the housing requirements of the NPF.
Planning authorities are currently assessing their respective development plans and undertaking a review of the adequacy of existing zoned lands in their functional area to cater for the new Housing Growth Requirements and the potential for ‘additional provision’.
To date, thirteen variation processes have been commenced, with two of those completed, and the majority of the remaining local authorities have presented a Chief Executive’s report to elected members setting out their response to the Guidelines. The remaining local authorities are expected to submit a Chief Executive’s report and commence the variation process in the coming weeks.
The zoning of land for particular purposes, including residential development, is an exercise undertaken by planning authorities as part of their overall statutory plan-making function and is a reserved function of the elected members.
The relevant provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024 relating to plan-making were commenced on 31 December 2025 at the same time that the majority of the corresponding provisions of the 2000 Act were repealed. In accordance with sections 68 and 81 of the 2024 Act, all development plans and LAPs in operation at that time were continued in force.
Further to sections 69 and 81 of the 2024 Act, any ongoing process to make a variation to an existing development plan or an amendment to an existing LAP (including in relation to the zoning of land) that formally commenced before 31 December 2025 may continue and be completed under the 2000 Act. The 2024 Act also provides that a development plan or an LAP that was continued in force may be varied or amended
Since its establishment in April 2019, the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) has had statutory responsibility for the evaluation and assessment of local authority plans in accordance with section 31P of the 2000 Act, and more recently section 546 of the 2024 Act. The Office is statutorily independent of the Minister in the performance of this function.
In the exercise of its plan evaluation function, the OPR may make submissions to the relevant planning authority including such recommendations as it considers necessary to ensure effective co-ordination of national, regional and local planning requirements by the relevant planning authority in the discharge of its development planning function. This may include recommendations in relation to the most appropriate manner to implement the Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines.
Section 548(3) of the 2024 Act provides that where the Office makes any observations or recommendations to a planning authority in relation to a plan, it shall, at the same time, send a copy of such observations or recommendations to the Minister.
In addition, section 546 of the 2024 Act provides that the Minister and the Planning Regulator may, from time to time, consult each other on matters relating to the functions of the Office and of the Planning Regulator. I confirm that I last met with the Planning Regulator on 24 September, 2025, while my Department regularly engages with the Office in relation to the functions of the Office as set out in the Act.
The OPR maintains a database on its website outlining progress achieved by each planning authority in implementing the Housing Growth Requirements Guidelines. This is accessible at the following link: www.opr.ie/section-28-guidelines-npf-implementation-housing-growth-requirements/ .
