John Cummins
Waterford · Fine Gael · Ireland
“To ensure a structured and comprehensive examination of the issues, the task force was organised under four work themes: structures, funding, functions and governance and accountability within the local government sector.”
“At the outset, I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue this morning. I am acutely aware of the strong interest that exists within this House in matters relating to local government.”
“Engagement took place with a wide range of organisations and representative bodies, including employer and employee representatives, community and voluntary organisations, academic experts and other key stakeholders.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.”
“In that context, I welcome the opportunity to address the House and to provide an update on the progress made today in advancing that recommendation and strengthening local democracy more generally.”
“The task force was charged with delivering its report within the challenging timeframe of six to nine months. However, considerable preparatory work already completed across the sector provided a strong foundation and enabled that timeline to be achieved. The task force, as the Senator rightly pointed out, was chaired by Mr.”
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“I assure the Senator that the Minister and I are determined to ensure that local democracy is strengthened, that the roles and responsibilities of councillors are enhanced and that they are able to effectively hold the Executive to account within the local authority system. That is the overall premise of the local democracy task force and the recommendations that have come out of it. Communities receive about 1,000 services from local government and I am committed to ensuring that this next generation of reform will put local government in good stead, but we need to get it right. We need to consider the recommendations and it will need to go to the Government for a decision on it.”
“As Minister of State with responsibility for local government, I can assure the Senator that extensive work has been undertaken by officials in the Department since the task force presented its recommendations to the Minister, Deputy Browne, and me. As she can imagine, it is a very detailed report, for all of the reasons I set out in my initial response. As a result, we have to carefully examine all of those recommendations and put an effective implementation plan in place. The boundary review element requires a Government decision, which is part of the local democracy task force report. That is being worked on, as I said.”
“This was a matter that was considered as part of the local democracy task force. It was asked to take account of and consider options for a future framework for reviewing numbers and in doing so, to take account of significant population growth since 2014. As has been confirmed by the Minister, Deputy Browne and I on a number of occasions, that final report was submitted to us and we are carefully considering the recommendations, with the implementation at a very advanced stage and due to go before Government as soon as possible.”
“Engagement took place with a wide range of organisations and representative bodies, including employer and employee representatives, community and voluntary organisations, academic experts and other key stakeholders. The task force also invited submissions from political parties and the wider sector and it met with representatives of this House, resulting in a very strong level of participation and engagement. This extensive consultation process provides a strong basis for confidence that the recommendations reflect not only the views and experience of the local government sector itself but also those of communities, organisations and citizens who depend on local authorities for their everyday services. The Senator specifically raised the matter of the boundary review.”
“To ensure a structured and comprehensive examination of the issues, the task force was organised under four work themes: structures, funding, functions and governance and accountability within the local government sector. Dedicated pillar groups, comprising subject matter experts with extensive practical experience, provided detailed, evidence-based analysis that advised to inform the development of the task force recommendations. In total, more than 50 individuals contributed to this work through the task force and its pillar groups. The task force itself met on nine occasions, while the pillar groups collectively met on more than 40 occasions, demonstrating a significant commitment of time and expertise. Meaningful stakeholder engagement was at the heart of the process.”
“The task force was charged with delivering its report within the challenging timeframe of six to nine months. However, considerable preparatory work already completed across the sector provided a strong foundation and enabled that timeline to be achieved. The task force, as the Senator rightly pointed out, was chaired by Mr. Jim Breslin, a distinguished former senior public servant. Its membership reflected a broad range of expertise and perspectives, including representatives of elected members, local authority executives, the National Oversight and Audit Commission, the Local Government Audit Service and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, as well as a number of independent experts.”
“In that context, I welcome the opportunity to address the House and to provide an update on the progress made today in advancing that recommendation and strengthening local democracy more generally. The local democracy task force was established in June of last year as a key commitment under the programme for Government, with a broad and ambitious mandate set out in its terms of reference. The work of the task force built on the substantial body of research and analysis already undertaken in this area, including the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's report on the future of local democracy and important contributions from the Association of Irish Local Government and the Council of Europe on the powers, function and responsibilities of local government.”
“At the outset, I thank Senator Fitzpatrick for raising this important issue this morning. I am acutely aware of the strong interest that exists within this House in matters relating to local government. Members have consistently demonstrated their commitment to strengthening local democracy and supporting local authorities in their vital role. As Minister of State with responsibility for local government and a former councillor for many years, I greatly value and appreciate the ongoing advocacy and engagement that comes from all sides of this Chamber. I am conscious that the establishment of the local democracy task force was a key recommendation arising from the Seanad Public Consultation Committee's report on the future of local democracy, which was published last year.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026, a copy of which was laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd July, 2026.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 3) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 4) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 5) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 6) Regulations 2026, and Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 7) Regulations 2026, copies of which were laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd July and 14th July, 2026.”
“I particularly thank those men who sat in the living room of my house and shared their horrendous experiences with me back when I was mayor of Waterford. Those private conversations made me absolutely determined to support your request for the establishment of this commission with former justice Ministers Frances Fitzgerald and Charlie Flanagan. It is my genuine and sincere hope that today's State apology provides some measure of acknowledgement and, in time, some degree of closure. It cannot erase the past, but it can recognise the profound wrong that was done to you and the failures that allowed it to happen. We owe it to you not only to remember these failures but also to learn from them. Ultimately, that is a responsibility each of us in this House shares.”
“Institutions that should have listened did not. Authorities that should have acted failed to do so. The hurt caused by the abuse itself was compounded by the failures that followed and that is why today's apology is both warranted and long overdue. While no apology can undo the harm that was inflicted or restore what was taken from you, I hope it affirms what you have known all along: that you were wronged, that your voices matter and that the failures identified by the commission are now recognised by the State. To every survivor I want to say, "Thank you". I thank you for your courage, I thank you for your resilience and I thank you for refusing to allow the truth to remain hidden despite the immense personal cost.”
“The commission found that there were clear failings in the manner in which allegations were handled, failings that fell below the standards expected even of the time. That is a sobering conclusion. These failures cannot simply be explained away as a product of a bygone era. They represented serious shortcomings that allowed abuse to continue and denied the survivors the protection to which they were entitled. It is difficult to comprehend how something so horrific could occur within the Waterford community that I know and love, and that it could continue for so long without Bill Kenneally being brought to justice. It is equally difficult to accept that he was able to evade accountability for so many years while more young men suffered. The survivors were failed by those who should have stood beside them.”
“It is impossible to fully comprehend the pain and trauma that you have endured or the lifelong impact it has had on you and your families. While none of us can truly understand your experiences, we can acknowledge the enormity of what you have lived through and the extraordinary resilience you have shown in the aftermath. The findings of the south-east commission of investigation make for deeply disturbing reading. They remind us that not only were there countless instances of horrific forms of abuse, there were also multiple examples of profound institutional failure. Time and again, opportunities to intervene were missed. Time and again, systems that existed to protect these men failed in that most fundamental responsibility.”
“I acknowledge the survivors and their families who are with us today in both Galleries and those who may be watching from home. This day belongs to you. Your courage in coming forward, your determination to pursue the truth and your perseverance in seeking justice deserve our deepest respect and admiration. For many years you fought for what should never have been so difficult to obtain. You fought to be heard, you fought to be believed and you fought for accountability. Above all, you fought for justice. That burden should never have rested on your shoulders. The authorities responsible for protecting you should have acted long before you were forced to carry that responsibility yourselves. What you suffered was abhorrent. It was a profound betrayal of trust and a devastating violation of your childhood.”
“7) Regulations 2026, and (II) Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026, copies of which have been laid in draft form before Dáil Éireann on 2nd July and 14th July, 2026, be referred to the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in accordance with Standing Order 103(5), which, not later than 15th July, 2026, shall send a message to the Dáil in the manner prescribed in Standing Order 110, and Standing Order 109(2) shall accordingly apply.”
“I move: (i) That, notwithstanding anything in the Standing Orders, the Order of the Dáil of 7th July is hereby discharged. (ii) That the proposal that Dáil Éireann approves the following Orders in draft: (I) Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 2) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 3) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 4) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 5) Regulations 2026, Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No. 6) Regulations 2026, and Planning and Development (Exempted Development (Act of 2000)) (No.”
“There are references to national secondary roads as part of it. Everything the Minister and I are trying to do is about streamlining the planning process to ensure exactly what Senator Lynch said, namely that we have consistency and clarity across the board, whether that is for large-scale residential development or one-off rural housing. The measures in the Bill will have a positive impact regarding the implementation of the third-largest piece of legislation in the history of the State. I commend the Bill to the House.”
“The alternative is that we tie up local authority staff - the very staff that people have just said need more resources - in dealing with more planning applications that date right back to the start of the planning process. What I am trying to introduce here is a time-bound, common-sense measure that will allow for improved viability. If that has an impact of bringing any developments on stream, then it will be a positive measure. Senator McCormack stated that this will not increase supply. If supply is delivered, I hope the record of the House will be corrected. Regarding Senator Blaney's reference to rural planning, as he will appreciate, it is not connected to this Bill. We did publish the national planning statement. That has to go through strategic environmental assessment.”
“That takes a considerable time. It was not possible to bring the Bill before the Houses prior to the past couple of weeks. I would appreciate the co-operation of everyone to ensure its timely passage through the House. I will address a couple of other points that were raised. We will talk about the question of viability of apartments more on Committee Stage. Viability is intrinsically linked to deliverability. Therefore, it is intrinsically linked to homelessness and the provision of accommodation. The Government and I are in the business of ensuring that we have, in this Bill, a time-bound measure of two years to ensure that we can alter existing planning permissions for residential developments and alter the internal envelope in that regard to ensure that it will be more viable for the sector to deliver them.”
“Regarding engagement, I assure Senators that there has been extensive dialogue with local authorities, An Coimisiún Pleanála and all stakeholders in the system in order to ensure that we have a timely and practical implementation of the Act. There have been extensive working groups that my officials have been working with. I note the timing of things. There is a huge body of work on which many of my officials, the same people, have been working. We have regulations on exempted developments that are before the Oireachtas, others that were been before it in December and more that will be dealt with next week and in the autumn. There is a huge body of work involved, and everybody is working exceptionally hard. There has been major dialogue with the Office of the Attorney General and the drafters about the Bill.”
“It will ensure certainty through the middle of next year regarding the continued funding of social, affordable and student rental accommodation. The ten-year development plans are all about ensuring that we have stability and that what is proposed will be implemented on a longer horizon, as Senator Lynch rightly pointed out. This is a positive for the entire system, and I concur with the sentiments of Senators in relation to local democracy and powers for local councillors. This is why I appointed the local democracy task force, which reported in November. I will be bringing an implementation plan in terms of the review that has been carried out to Cabinet very shortly. I believe in local democracy, as I know all Senators do.”
“The Bill merely takes what has already been implemented in the 2024 Act and applies it to decisions made under the 2000 Act. This is to try to expedite judicial reviews. Regardless of who takes a judicial review, we can all agree that streamlining and expediting the process is sure to be a positive thing for the entire system. The Bill also includes measures around critical infrastructure in the context of the accelerating infrastructure action plan. As stated, about 50% of the Bill comprises technical amendments and corrections of typographical errors. I will now address some of the specific points made by Senators. A number of Senators welcomed the provision in respect of increasing the upper threshold for the Housing Finance Agency from €13.5 billion to €15 billion. I agree that this is a positive measure.”
“It is in the interests of everyone who interacts with the planning system for the 2024 Act to be commenced and in operation by the end of the year. Most of this Bill is made up of transitionary provisions to ensure that takes place. It includes the provisions around the regional economic and spatial strategies and putting a hard deadline of 31 December 2027 in place in respect of those. It also makes provision for the ten-year county and city development plans, which, as most Senators have acknowledged, is a positive development. It will ensure their timely review comes into place between July of next year and July 2030 in order to ensure that they conclude their processes by between February and December 2030. We had many debates on the provisions around judicial review that were introduced in the 2024 Act.”
“I thank Senators for their engagement with the Bill. As I said in the Dáil Chamber, it is not lost on me that people have made the criticism that there is not sufficient time, yet the only people I am speaking to in this Chamber are members of the Government, and there is no Opposition present. It is a fair observation to say that at the outset. The provisions referred to in my opening contribution are there to help accelerate the implementation of the 2024 Act, which is of the utmost importance. Regarding the comments about not getting this Bill passed before the summer recess, the implication of that is that I will not be able to get the full implementation of the 2024 Act completed before the end of this year.”
“As the House is aware, the ongoing commencement and implementation of the 2024 Act remains a key priority for me and the Government and we want to ensure the remainder of the 2024 Act is commenced as soon as possible. With the continued support of both Houses, I hope to be in a position to enact the Bill before the summer recess. It provides legislative clarification and certainty for the planning sector, including for planning authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála, so that they can finalise its preparations for implementation of Part 4 of the 2024 Act. I welcome further engagement on this important Bill and look forward to discussions on Committee Stage. I commend the Bill to the House.”
“Amendments to the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 are also proposed to increase the statutory borrowing limit of the Housing Finance Agency from €13.5 billion to €15 billion. The Housing Finance Agency provides low-cost finance to approved housing bodies, local authorities and higher education institutions for social, affordable and student housing. This amendment will enable the Housing Finance Agency to continue to fund social and affordable homes to June of next year and ensure there is no interruption to its housing pipeline. I will conclude by emphasising that the proposed measures in the Bill intend to address a number of important and time-sensitive matters that are highly relevant to the planning system.”
“The amendments have been drafted on a no policy change basis and will support the commencement and smooth implementation of the remaining provisions of the 2024 Act by ensuring that the relevant provisions operate as intended. Finally, the Bill includes a large number of technical amendments that make up over 50% of the heads of the Bill. These are technical in nature and propose to correct cross-references and typographical errors, as well as to clarify the existing text without changing its intent. The Bill also includes amendments to provide for the formal repeal of the vacant sites provision in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015, as they have now been superseded by the residential zoned land tax.”
“In addition, the Bill also proposes to make amendments allowing for the modification of an existing permission in accordance with appropriate apartment design criteria. This is in direct response to the significant number of apartment developments that have received planning permission but have not yet commenced and will help to support the viability of the development of apartments in the immediate term. Following a comprehensive internal review of the 2024 Act earlier this year, and engagement with the Office of Parliamentary Counsel on the drafting of corresponding provisions, a number of amendments are proposed to clarify screening obligations and processes for appropriate assessment and environmental impact assessment, such as clarification regarding competent authorities.”
“A range of measures in the Bill are proposed to enhance the delivery of critical infrastructure projects and complete several actions assigned to my Department in the 2025 accelerating infrastructure action plan. This includes the introduction of a definition of material contravention of the development plan, which should assist in the timely development of critical infrastructure and housing projects by providing clarity and certainty for the decision-making process and thereby helping to avoid the potential for a legal challenge. It also includes a number of other amendments to streamline certain application processes for critical infrastructure projects, including those carried out by or on behalf of statutory undertakers.”
“The process being updated includes the removal of the requirement to apply for leave to apply for judicial review proceedings, which reduces the time required for such proceedings, removes unnecessary additional legal costs to all parties and amends various procedural rules relating to such proceedings. These changes will mean that the expected benefits of the new judicial review process will have an earlier positive impact on the planning system. The judicial review procedures in the 2024 Act were subject to extensive engagement with the Office of the Attorney General during the drafting of the Act and were reviewed for compliance with all international obligations.”
“Given the lead-in time before there could be a formal decision made or an act done under the 2024 Act that could be subject to judicial review, it would likely be several months after the commencement of Part 4 of the 2024 Act before the new planning and judicial review rules would have an impact on proceedings. In order to further expedite judicial review processes, it is now proposed to extend the judicial review provisions in the 2024 Act to decisions made or acts done under the 2000 Act. This change will speed up the transition to the new rules and means that they will have an earlier impact in the second half of this year.”
“It will also make it clear that since the commencement of Part 3 at the end of 2025, all development plan reviews must be carried out under the 2024 Act only. The Bill extends and applies the judicial review provisions in Chapter 1 of Part 9 of the 2024 Act to acts done or decisions made under the Planning and Development Act 2000. We are all aware of the number of planning proposals that are delayed due to judicial review proceedings, which is why the changes to the judicial review process were introduced in the first place under the 2024 Act and subsequently brought into operation in August 2025.”
“In the context of the proposed amendment to Part 3 of the 2024 Act, the Bill will ensure that the review of the three regional spatial and economic strategies are completed in a timely manner by introducing a deadline of 31 December 2027 for the completion of those reviews. This will allow planning authorities to amend the expiry dates of their current development plans for a defined maximum period to between February and December 2030. This new expiry date will act as a trigger for the adoption of new ten-year development plans under the 2024 Act and will mean the planning authorities must begin the process of making their new plans under the 2024 Act beginning in July 2027 until July 2028 at the latest.”
“It is important to note that Part 3 of the 2024 Act was commenced last year and is already being operated by planning authorities. I recognise that the ongoing practical implementation of the transition across the 2024 Act from the existing legislative framework does present a challenge for the current system from both a capacity and prioritisation perspective. The proposed amendments in this Bill provide clarity and further policy direction on a number of important matters, including the Government's expectations around the timely introduction of ten-year county and city development plans under the 2024 Act. The approach is being discussed in detail and worked through with all key stakeholders, including the Office of the Planning Regulator and representatives of planning authorities.”
“My officials continue to work closely with local authorities and a range of other key stakeholders to help ensure the planning sector is ready for full implementation. As already stated, the primary purpose of the Bill is to support the smooth commencement and implementation of the remaining provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024, a process that is due to take place later this year. The proposed amendments in the Bill can be broken down into five keys areas. First, the Bill amends Part 3 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 to accelerate the move to plan making under the 2024 Act and to help ensure that necessary transitional measures already provided for will operate as originally intended in line with the hierarchy of plan-making.”
“Given the scale of the 2024 Act, it has been necessary and appropriate to commence and implement that Act on a phased basis to facilitate the gradual transition from the arrangements under the current legislative framework to those under the new Act. The ongoing commencement and implementation of the 2024 Act remains a key priority for this Government, and a considerable volume of the legislation has already been brought into operation, with the remaining provisions on track to be commenced by the end of this year and subsequent to the enactment of this Bill. In addition to this Bill, my Department is in the process of finalising the revised planning regulations that are to accompany the 2024 Act.”
“Another aim of the Bill is to deploy the new procedural rules and parameters for planning judicial reviews sooner by applying them to acts done or decisions made under the Planning and Development Act 2000 and to facilitate the delivery of a number of actions contained in the 2025 accelerating infrastructure action plan to enhance the timely delivery of critical infrastructure projects. Senators will no doubt recall the scale and vision of the Planning and Development Act 2024, which was signed into law by the President in October of 2024. That important body of legislation is the third largest piece of legislation to be enacted in the history of the State.”
“Following its successful passage through Dáil Éireann, I am pleased to bring the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 before the Seanad. The main purpose of this important Bill is to support and facilitate the smooth commencement and implementation of the remaining provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024. I anticipate that the remaining provisions of the Act of 2024 will be brought into effect later this year. Additional proposed provisions to this Bill intend to provide clarity and to introduce further policy direction to speed up the timely introduction of ten-year county and city development plans.”
“There was mention that viability is profitability. First, "profitability" is not a bad word. Viability is about deliverability. Deputy Hearne acknowledged that it would put roofs over people's heads. That is what the Government wants to do. We want to put roofs over people's heads. If this measure puts roofs over people's heads I think it will be a positive measure.”
“It will waste planning resources within local authority systems rather than being able to alter the envelope that has been established as a use for residential development. It is a common-sense proposal. It does not go outside the boundary of what is permitted development. It ensures the same existing bed spaces are provided for. I do not accept that I am wrong to raise the Vienna model because the initial comments from the Deputies opposite were all about size. Not once was the cost referenced - and they can go and look back. On size, I merely pointed out the minimum size of an apartment in Vienna, which is 30 sq. m to 35 sq. m for a studio apartment. What we have is 32 sq. m. There is no alteration to the size of one-bedroom apartments from what was there previously, which is 45 sq. m. A change in the studio size is provided for.”
“I would like to respond to some of the comments. This is a sensible proposal to allow the alteration of existing planning permissions for a time-bound period of two years. The alternative being suggested by Deputies is that developers who have schemes that they cannot build for a viable cost should go back through the entire planning process. As the Minister of State, I want to activate apartment development in this country. I do not want to see planning resources within our local authorities wasted. The Deputies opposite raise the issue of planning resources. I will always fight for additional planning resources within local authorities and within An Coimisiún Pleanála, but by virtue of what is being said by the Deputies opposite they want those schemes to go back to the start of the planning process.”
“If we had not made those changes and we had significant cost inflation, what we would be talking about here would be a significantly increased cost of development. What we are about here, in terms of the viability measure, is taking apartment developments that already have permission and applying a two-year duration to it where internal configuration changes can be made. It is not to increase the number of beds or the number of persons who are accommodated. It is simply about ensuring that the mix can be altered to ensure there is greater viability within the system. I stand by the point that if this measure has the effect of ensuring that one apartment complex is delivered in this country and has permission that would not otherwise be delivered without an alteration to this, it will have been a successful measure.”
“What the Deputies are talking about here are smaller and darker apartments. I am simply making the comparison to our minimum standards. They are comparable to where the Deputies opposite have lauded the introduction of housing in other jurisdictions. It is true to say that by virtue of the comments that have been made by Deputy Sheehan here where he has said that cost savings have been eroded as a result of inflation that the Deputy is acknowledging there were savings attached to the revised apartment standards. He will also be aware that, at the Oireachtas committee of which he is a member, some of the biggest developers in the country cited savings on average of €60,000 per scheme in terms of apartments. That is not insignificant.”
“The Government continues to be fully committed to ensuring that housing is delivered as quickly and effectively as possible and ensuring that a key part of that is viability. I wish to address some of the specific points that Deputies have raised. I do not accept the description here of smaller, darker apartments. I have heard every Deputy who is in here in this House on many occasions lauding the Vienna model. That is true. Every single person in this Chamber on the opposite benches has lauded the Vienna model. It is true to say that the size of studio apartments in Vienna is 30 sq. m to 35 sq. m. That is the-----”
“It also ensures that an alteration of permission cannot result in the proposed residential development being designed to accommodate more occupants than would be designed to accommodate where the alteration was not made. This measure is to help support the viability of the development of apartments in the immediate term by allowing the alteration of permissions already granted in certain circumstances. This is targeted at the significant number of apartment developments that have received planning permission but have not yet commenced. Where the specific criteria are not met, depending on the circumstances the option remains open to a developer to either apply for a new planning permission or to apply to make an amendment to the permission, as the case may be.”
“The specific criteria allowing for alterations to apartment schemes that are covered by this measure are already established policy with over 12 months. They relate to apartment mix, apartment floor areas, dual aspect ratios, lift and stair cores, the floor-to-ceiling heights of ground floor apartments and consequential works necessary for the purpose of the above alterations or ensuring access to the development, including works to footpaths, boundaries, gardens and balconies. The Bill also sets out restrictions to the measure, including in the case of residential development in a strategic development zone, SDZ. The alterations cannot cause the number of dwellings situated in that SDZ to exceed the permitted number applicable in the planning scheme.”
“subject to meeting the specific criteria set out in the Bill, a request may be made to a deciding authority under section 140 of the 2024 Act to make alterations to an existing permission for an apartment scheme. Under section 142 of the 2024 Act, where a requested alteration of a permission is non-material, the deciding authority shall alter the permission accordingly. Section 138A will apply to the development of dwellings and apartment buildings in circumstances where the permission was granted before the coming into operation of section 138A where a request for an alteration under section 140 is made before the expiration of two years from the coming into operation of section 138A and where the development has not yet been commenced before the date on which the request is made.”
“I propose to discuss these sections together as the amendments are linked. Sections 61 and 62 are connected and operate together. It is important that both stand as part of the Bill. Section 61 is a technical clarifying amendment to the definition of material alteration in section 138 of the Act of 2024 to add a cross-reference to the new section 138A as inserted by section 62 of this Bill. Section 62 inserts a new section 138A into Chapter 5 of Part 4 of the 2024 Act in relation to alterations of existing permissions allowed for the purpose of alleviating the shortage of residential accommodation and to enable construction of a greater number of dwellings in apartment schemes. These sections operate so that.”
“Of course we will be monitoring this provision, as we do every measure we implement in the Department. We are acutely conscious this is a viability measure. We will get into the substantive debate on it when debating the section. It is in our interest to ensure it is being utilised. If this activates one apartment development, it will be a good measure. That is what I will base this on. I am in the business of ensuring apartment developments get built. If this measure activates even one apartment development providing people with homes to rent or buy, it will be a successful measure.”