Latest news with #PlanningandDevelopmentAct
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Former HSE chief Paul Reid to head up planning authority
Former HSE chief executive Paul Reid is set to be appointed as the new chairman of the Government's reformed planning authority, An Comisiún Pleanála. Housing minister James Browne will inform Cabinet today, Tuesday, of the establishment of An Coimisiún Pleanála, which is due to replace An Bord Pleanála as Ireland's planning authority. It comes as Cabinet is set to approve emergency legislation to establish a national rent pressure zone, which would prevent landlords from increasing rents beyond 2%. New structure for An Coimisiún Pleanála The establishment of An Coimisiún Pleanála has been long anticipated, with the previous government's mammoth Planning and Development Act providing the legislative basis for the body. As part of the change, An Coimisiún Pleanála will have a restructured organisation with a new governing body that will be led by Mr Reid. A new chief planning officer will be appointed alongside 14 other planning commissioners. This will replace the previous board structure of An Bord Pleanála. Mandatory timelines for planning decisions A new system of mandatory, statutory timelines for planning decisions will be introduced. This means An Coimisiún Pleanála will be required to make decisions and adjudicate appeals within 18 to 48 weeks. It is understood that Mr Browne believes the changes to the planning authority will radically increase the speed of decision-making, while providing more certainty on timelines. The minister is said to be frustrated with the 'lack of efficiency' in the existing planning system, which he believes is delaying the delivery of homes, one government source said. Nationwide RPZ Mr Browne will also bring forward emergency legislation to introduce a nationwide rent pressure zone. This will expand existing rent pressure zone protections to the approximately 17% of tenancies across the country which are not currently in rent controlled areas. At present, landlords outside rent pressure zones are not restricted in how much they increase their rent each year. It is understood the Government intends to pass the legislation urgently, with hopes it can be done before the summer recess in July. Sources have also indicated that rent pressure zone protections will come into effect on the day after the laws are passed. Rental reform in 2026 The changes to introduce a national rent pressure zone comes ahead of wider rental reform from the Government that is expected to come into effect on March 1, 2026. The new proposals will allow for landlords to reset their rents either after six years or if a tenant voluntarily leaves the property. Private housing on public land Government ministers are also set to approve an expansion to the remit of the Land Development Agency, which would see legislation amended to allow the body develop private housing on public lands. The body will also be permitted to increase the amount of private land it acquires, as well as deliver houses outside its existing operating areas. The agency will also be given stronger land transfer powers for sites owned by commercial State bodies, particularly for sites deemed to be underutilised. Cabinet will also approve any project-level commitments by the agency, which will no longer be required to be reviewed by NewERA — the Government's commercial advisory body — to increase approval speeds. While the Government will approve the changes on Tuesday, it is understood that legislation to give effect to the LDA's expanded remit will be brought to Cabinet in the 'near future'.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Paul Reid to head up new planning body replacing An Bord Pleanála
It is expected that his name will be brought to cabinet to be appointed as chair of An Coimisiún Pleanála. Mr Reid, who took over as head of the HSE in 2019, became a household name during the Covid-19 pandemic. He later stepped down from the position in 2022 to spend more time with his family and the belief that the HSE was 'entering a new phase and that the appointment of a new leader was now timely". The Housing Minister, James Browne, will bring a memo to cabinet tomorrow to establish the new body to replace An Bord Pleanála, in a move to reset the organisation and its culture. This is part of the Planning and Development Act which is designed to reform how planning works in Ireland. The other main part of the legislation that will bring change to An Bord Pleanála is the introduction of mandatory statutory timelines for its decisions. Those timelines range from 18 to 24 weeks and there will be penalties for any failure to comply. This part of the Act is not due to be commenced at the same time as the name change, though it is expected to be in place by the end of 2025.
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Former HSE boss Paul Reid to be named Planning Authority chair
Former HSE CEO Paul Reid is set to be appointed as the new chairperson of the Government's reformed planning authority, An Comisiún Pleanála. It is understood that housing minister James Browne will bring Mr Reid's name to Cabinet on Tuesday for appointment. Mr Reid, who previously led the HSE and chaired the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use, will take over at An Comisiún Pleanála, which was formally legislated for as part of the mammoth Planning and Development Act 2024. The establishment of An Comisiún Pleanála has been long anticipated, with the previous Government's mammoth Planning and Development Act providing the legislative basis for the new body. The establishment of An Comisiún Pleanála has been long anticipated, with the previous Government's mammoth Planning and Development Act providing the legislative basis for the new body. This will replace the previous board structure of An Bord Pleanála. A new system of mandatory, statutory timelines for planning decisions will be introduced. This means An Comisiún Pleanála will be required to make decisions and adjudicate appeals within 18 to 48 weeks.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Paul Reid expected to be named head of new planning body
Former HSE boss Paul Reid is expected to be named as the chairperson of An Coimisiún Pleanála, which will replace An Bord Pleanála. Mr Reid was a high profile figure during his time at the helm of the HSE from 2019 to 2022, a period dominated by the global pandemic. It is understood that Minister for Housing James Browne will bring a memo to Government on the appointment in the morning. The new planning body is being established in line with the phased commencement of the 2024 Planning and Development Act. The Minister for Housing is likely to tell Government that he hopes the restructured organisation will speed up planning decisions. The new body will be subject to statutory mandatory timelines to give confidence and certainty to applicants.
Irish Independent
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Letters: We got housing right in the mid-20th century, long before ideology took over
Much of the media and political debate seems to revolve around emotion and ideology. Housing and homeless charities and opposition members speak about 'investors', 'vulture funds' and 'land hoarding developers' as the root cause. The construction sector speaks about our complex and snail-like planning system and the need to make profit on home construction; it denies land hoarding and mentions the shortage of skilled labour. The provision of homes should never be the subject of politics or ideology. As a state, we got it right in the middle decades of the 20th century, right up to the early 1990s. I do not recall, as a young clerical officer in a housing authority in the early 1970s, much ideology. The public housing programme was hugely successful. State loans were available to buy homes in 'private' estates. Local authority tenants were offered an option to acquire the title to their homes after about 10 years. Part V of the 2000 Planning and Development Act provided for the concept of a statutory 'social housing' quota in developments above a certain size. The direct provision of public housing was largely shifted from housing authorities to this social housing quota. Doubtless, too many units were built in the boom era. However, the planning system itself is causing huge delays and huge uncertainty among potential developers and those who lend to them. Individuals have an unqualified right to object to any development in any part of this jurisdiction. Individuals have the right to appeal any decision by a planning authority. An Bord Pleanála takes ages to determine appeals. ADVERTISEMENT And then, if parties are unhappy with the appeal outcome, the judicial review option is available. There was a time when the superior courts shied away from making calls on planning decisions. The much-heralded 2024 Planning and Development Act will, I fear, do absolutely nothing to improve the provision of affordable new homes. I'm wondering, as parents ourselves, do we even care if our own kids find a place to call home? Why is this crisis being tolerated? Larry Dunne, Rosslare Harbour, Co Wexford Pat Stacey may call it guff, but the GAA mythology got warring men to bond Pat Stacey's weariness with the 'cod-mystical guff' in Hell for Leather ('Hell for Leather brings history of GAA to life but it's marred by bombastic nonsense', Irish Independent, June 10) is understandable, but mistaking myth-making for bombast is a curiously joyless take on a national story. That soccer, not Gaelic football, dominated his Dublin childhood is noted with the weary pride of someone who believes personal nostalgia to be national history. But the GAA never needed the approval of Dublin 8. It was too busy binding the country together with railways that carried teams, parishes that bred them and matches that made temporary peace between men still at war. Yes, the docu-series leans into the lyrical, but Gaelic football has never been content to be just a game. It has been defiance in boots, identity in motion and occasionally, admittedly, a free-for-all with a referee. Stacey might call that overstatement. Most of us would call it context. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh Absence of 24/7 Air Corps service highlights how poorly we are governed We are informed ('Tánaiste Simon Harris to seek cabinet approval to return Irish Air Corps to 24/7 service', Irish Independent, June 10) that Mr Harris wants the Air Corps to be available around the clock. How could the Government allow a situation where the Irish Air Corps was unable to provide a 24/7 service? Another example of 'questionable' government action/lack of action. Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Cork State of the world has shown that we now need to go all in on our military There is no greater symbol of how to serve the nation than to be a member of the Defence Forces. In 2020, I questioned, in a letter published at the start of January of that year, the need for armed forces in this country. Now, with the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as the unstable situation created by Donald Trump, I believe we either go all in on spending with the Defence Forces or we leave our military to rot. Liam Doran, Clondalkin, Dublin Extraordinary that Fianna Fáil has had little input into recent presidencies Senan Molony informs us Fianna Fáil may name its candidate for the presidency by the end of the month ('Fianna Fáil to choose 'definitive position' on Irish presidential election by the end of the month', Irish Independent, June 10). It is hard to believe this is the first time this century that the party will field a runner when you think how it had dominated the office since the foundation of the State . It is notable there will not be an agreed candidate for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. It would be ironic if the two parties in government were the only ones to put forward credible candidates. Thomas Garvey, Claremorris, Co Mayo Greta Thunberg's action puts mealy mouths of the Western leaders to shame Greta Thunberg and her colleagues offer a glimmer of hope and stand head and shoulders above the cowards of the Western world who speak out of both sides of their mouths. Noel Mannion, Clonbur, Co Galway Deafening silence from the new Pope as Gaza is bulldozed into the earth The silence is frightening. The Pope seems to have disappeared. As for Irish Catholic leaders, not a word. No flotilla to challenge genocide. No church-gate collections like Ukraine. And the Catholic Church wonders why the pews are empty and vocations declining. Jesus was a Palestinian before and after colonial powers left an appalling vacuum in 1948. Bishops and cardinals lecture us on scripture, but is it not time to get off their high horses and take action? We all abhor what Hamas did, but 54,000 dead as a response? Try to justify that.
