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 encourage local authority tenants who have issues to raise them through the complaints procedure and the Ombudsman but I assure the Senator recommendations from the commission are being kept under consideration by the Department.”
“I again thank Senator Boyhan for raising this matter. I take the points he has made on board. Obviously, the Housing Commission made recommendations in this space. These are being considered by the Department. There are obvious issues with sequencing, cost implications and so on involved. As a result, the Senator will appreciate that there is a significant body of work to be done. There is no point introducing something if it cannot be implemented. The last thing we want to see is a system being implemented that is not resourced adequately. The Senator would rightly be back in this Chamber complaining that the people he is advocating for are not able to access the protections he is speaking to. In the interim, the Housing Acts 1996 to 2024 provide protections.”
“Given the breadth of housing policy areas covered in the report, the quantum of recommendations and actions involved and the complex interlinkages between them, this is a significant body of work. It looks at prioritisation, cost implications, sequencing, timing and the practicalities of implementation. Within this context, the recommendation relating to the relationship between local authority tenants and the RTB and any potential changes to that relationship are being considered.”
“Following the making and processing of any such complaint, if a local authority tenant still considers that they have been adversely affected by a local authority's action or lack of action which they consider unfair or unreasonable, they may make a complaint to the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can examine complaints about how local authorities carry out their every day executive and administrative activities. These include complaints, delays or failures to take action on housing issues. The Housing Commission has recommended the regulation of landlord functions relating to local authority-owned dwellings and the formalising of local authority-tenant relationships. Obviously, the Department of housing is reviewing and assessing the report of the Housing Commission, which, as the Senator pointed out, was published in May of last year.”
“The Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Act 2015 brought tenancies relating to approved housing bodies under the remit of the RTB. The Housing Acts 1966 to 2024 govern local authority social housing tenancies. These Acts provide a range of extensive protections for tenants, including security of tenure, management of antisocial behaviour and a differential rents system. Furthermore, local authority tenants can avail of the customer complaints procedure in place in all local authorities regarding any issues they may have in dealing with their local authority in the context of their housing situation.”
“The Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, was established as an independent statutory body under the Acts to regulate the rental housing sector by maintaining a national register of tenancies, resolving disputes between tenants and landlords, acting to ensure compliance with rental law and providing information to public, tenants and landlords to ensure that tenancies run smoothly and are providing reliable data and insights to inform policy, which the Senator and I would have reviewed as members of the relevant joint Oireachtas committee in the previous term. The Residential Tenancies Act applies to every dwelling that is the subject of a tenancy, subject to a limited number of exemptions. As the Senator rightly pointed out, the Act does not apply to dwellings let by local authorities to social tenants.”
“I thank Senator Boyhan for submitting his Commencement matter. It gives me an opportunity to address an important matter in the House. The Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024 regulate tenancies in the residential rental sector covering private renters, cost renters and social renters with approved housing bodies and also regulate tenancies and licences in student-specific accommodation. The Residential Tenancies Acts set out the rights and obligations of landlords and tenants.”
“As regards the potential for improved institutional arrangements to deliver on the NPF strategy, a new national policy objective has been included to highlight the commitment to reviewing reforms that may be necessary in terms of the governance of metropolitan area strategic plans, in recognition of the important role they will play going forward. I reiterate the importance of this body of work and thank everybody who has engaged in the process recently, including the Oireachtas joint committee, of which I was a member prior to being elected to Dáil Éireann. I look forward to hearing the contributions of Deputies.”
“There are metropolitan area strategic plans for all of our five cities, and a MASP has been prepared as part of the three regional spatial and economic strategies for each of the regions. The MASPs set out a framework to guide development in the wider city region. The revised NPF indicates that, as part of phasing in the transition to achieving urban consolidation and brownfield targets, a proportion of up to 20% of the phased population growth targeted in the principal city and suburban area could potentially be accommodated in the wider metropolitan area - in other words, outside of the city and suburbs or the contiguous zoned area. This can be in addition to the growth identified for the metropolitan area itself.”
“The programme for Government has emphasised the delivery of essential infrastructure as a key driver in attracting and retaining investment in Ireland, growing our economy, fostering regional development and delivering on our housing targets, and achieving our ambitious climate goals. Given the strategic role of the NPF, any reference to specific projects or enablers is restricted to those that are of a strategic nature such as transport, water and grid infrastructure projects that are of a national or regional significance. It is also important to note that the NPF provides the spatial policy framework but in itself does not directly provide for investment but, rather, is aligned with the national development plan.”
“Greater clarity is provided for as part of the revised NPF as to what the definition of a built-up area is, and there is a signalling to the monitoring system that will track implementation of the targets in a consistent way for all major settlements. The alignment of the NPF with the national development plan through Project Ireland 2040 governance provides a solid foundation for sustained growth and investment. Policy coherence and co-ordination of investment programmes have been identified as critical elements for the successful implementation of the NPF strategy.”
“This is to be undertaken and delivered in line with longer term strategic planning for transport-orientated development in Ireland's five cities to support the delivery of new sustainable communities at brownfield and greenfield locations along existing or planned high-capacity public transport corridors. This will allow planning authorities to identify areas with significant potential for development within development plans and thereby provide medium- to longer term certainty around the status of those lands. As regards identifying locations for future growth and housing development at scale, it is critical that planning for these opportunities is aligned with the phased infrastructure investment that will follow.”
“In order to achieve the overall increase in city-based population growth, the NPF sets out ambitious growth targets to enable the four cities of Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford to grow by at least 50% each to 2040. To support the achievement of these targets, a new element of the NPF strategy included in this revision results from the possible requirement to plan for population growth that would exceed the baseline of 6.1 million set out by the ESRI in line with the high migration scenario the Minister, Deputy Browne, referred to of 6.3 million, provided in the same report.”
“Its introduction was in response to an identified need to counter the trend of urban sprawl, to support the targeted delivery of infrastructure services and to promote cities and towns to be self-sustaining and viable places to live and work in. City-based population and employment growth is an important target of the NPF. The strategy sets a target of half of future population and employment growth to be focused in the existing five cities and their suburbs as a means of ensuring that cities deliver as accessible centres of scale. The proportion of national population growth achieved in 2022 in the five cities was 32% of overall growth.”
“The revision also includes objectives to improve interurban transport infrastructure, for example, through supporting the Atlantic corridor as part of the wider trans-European transport network, which link Ireland to the passenger and freight transport networks in continental Europe, in addition to examining recommendations in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review and key road projects that are essential for improving regional and interurban connectivity. The compact growth policy approach of the revised NPF specifically addresses the need for a more sustainable form of development in Ireland's cities and towns.”
“The ongoing shift to a more regionally balanced growth, supported by urban centres of scale, will be important in ensuring effective regional development and in supporting competitiveness, economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. A number of specific projects to support better balanced regional development for the regions are referred to in the revised NPF, with such projects required to be advanced to delivery through the national development plan.”
“The strategy recognises that a business-as-usual approach will not make the most effective and sustainable use of national and regional assets and resources. In contrast, more balanced and effective regional growth will harness the attractiveness and assets of all regions and places to a greater extent than it has to date. The cornerstone policy of both the existing NPF and the revised version is the achievement of a greater regional balance in future population and employment growth. The goal is to see a roughly 50-50 distribution of growth between the eastern and midlands region and the southern, northern and western regions combined, based on a city-focused and compact growth pattern of development that will reverse the pattern of sprawl that has been a feature of recent decades.”
“The revised NPF reaffirms the plan-led approach that is now firmly enshrined in legislation through the Planning and Development Act 2024, implemented at a regional and local level through our three regional assemblies and 31 local authorities. The importance of this plan-led approach cannot be underestimated as it aligns strategic planning policy from national level through to regional and local levels, giving effect to real sustainable outcomes for our regions, our cities and our communities, both urban and rural. In 2018, the NPF recognised that continued investment in Dublin and the east coast is critical to support the future growth of Dublin as an international city of scale in the national interest but that this needs to be supported by a more balanced distribution of growth across all of Ireland's regions.”
“I welcome the opportunity to come before the House to discuss and seek approval for the final draft revised national planning framework, which was approved by Government on 8 April 2025. As already outlined by my colleague the Minister, the approval process for the finalisation of the revised national planning framework plays a key role in delivering on our broader objectives across Government and will allow the significant policy changes that have taken place and other factors that have come into play since 2018 to be integrated into the planning system. I wish to provide an overview of the some of the key policy responses that have been incorporated into this revised NPF to ensure there is a robust strategy and a comprehensive national plan in place to guide and inform Ireland's future growth and development for many years to come.”
“I have seen what works and am trying to influence that as much as possible because I agree with Deputy Brennan that at a time of such need and want in terms of housing, we have to be seen to be delivering in respect of vacancy and dereliction and the quickest way to do so is to focus on the houses and buildings that are already there and that is what we are determined to do.”
“We also have the THRIVE scheme, through the town centre first scheme, which is utilising ERDF EU regional development programmes to rehabilitate publicly-owned, vacant and derelict heritage buildings. That scheme has allocated more than €117 million to transformative capital projects in buildings in Cork, Galway, Waterford, Gorey and Wexford, as well as other parts of the country. What I can say is that I am placing an increased emphasis and focus on this. I want to see all local authorities coming up to the level of the best-performing local authorities.”
“I thank Deputy Brennan. I addressed the URDF, CPO and the derelict sites register in my opening remarks. The other strand is obviously the vacant property refurbishment grant, which has been a hugely successful scheme. Towards the end of Q1 of 2025, more than 12,400 applications have been received under the scheme, with more than 8,600 approvals and 2,000 grants paid out to date, giving the owners of properties up to €70,000 in support to bring a derelict property back into productive use. I referenced the repair and lease scheme, which has been deployed to huge success in my county of Waterford. I have seen how vacant and derelict properties on the main streets the Deputy spoke about have been converted into productive residential units for people on the social housing waiting list.”
“We, of course, need that consistency of approach across all local authorities in the country and that is what I am focused on as Minister of State. My Department also introduced planning and development regulations that provide an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for the change of use of certain vacant commercial buildings to residential units, including former pubs and above the shop living, as the Deputy referenced. The most recent authority returns from 2023 show that local authorities have received notifications of 1,065 exempted development proposals to date, with plans for the provision of 2,716 new homes nationwide. I will talk about the vacant property refurbishment grant in my follow up remarks.”
“In my role as Minister of State with responsibility for local government, I am visiting local authorities across the country, and this is one of the areas in which I am engaged extensively with executive teams and chief executives. As Deputy Brennan rightly pointed out in his opening remarks, it is true to say some local authorities are doing really well while others have a long way to go, and that is why I am engaging with them on it. Where I have seen exceptional work done is with small, dedicated and focused teams under one directorate within a local authority that is putting an enhanced focus on this area by using the carrot and stick approach - the carrot being the likes of the repair and lease scheme and the stick being the derelict sites register and the CPO. That has yielded positive results in areas where it has been deployed.”
“In addition, where local authorities find that the acquisition of particular derelict properties is an appropriate mechanism to return them to use, they are now supported through the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, which has established a €150 million revolving fund for local authorities to acquire vacant and derelict properties, be they residential or commercial, using their compulsory purchase powers where necessary, and to carry out any associated works needed to make them more attractive for reuse or sale. On completion of the most recent review of this element of the URDF programme, a total of 1,297 residential and commercial properties were approved by my Department for inclusion on the approved programmes list for all 31 local authorities.”
“A key focus in the action plan relates to the interaction with the Government’s town centre first policy approach, which was launched by my Department and the then Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022. It provides a whole-of-government policy framework to address the decline in the health of towns and supports measures to revitalise them. To drive the delivery of town centre first, dedicated town regeneration officers have been established within local authorities, supported by the national town centre first office in the Local Government Management Agency.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this. It gives me the opportunity to address Members on this important issue. Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority of mine and this Government. To address this, a number of structures have been established, including a dedicated vacant homes unit in my Department, a full-time vacant homes officer in each local authority, and the publication of a vacant homes action plan to draw together a number of vacancy-related measures across relevant Government Departments. In March this year, the Minister, Deputy Browne, published the 2025 progress report which shows the significant progress being made in tackling vacancy and it is available on my Department's website.”
“Noting the urgency associated with the scaling up of housing delivery, the Minister, Deputy Browne, and I have already signalled the intention to issue a policy direction to local authorities following finalisation of the revision process to enable rapid implementation of the updated planned housing requirements, by local authority area, into the current development plans. This will give a clear direction to be followed by planning authorities in updating their plans allowing for all stakeholders in the planning system to have clarity on the location and scale of development proposed to meet our housing need across the country. I look forward to hearing the contributions of Senators this evening as we discuss a critical piece of policy, namely, the NPF and its revision.”
“The enhanced delivery of key infrastructure projects is a core objective of Government and a particular focus has already been placed on identifying blockages and ensuring they can be removed. In this regard, priority actions from the programme for Government are being progressed, including the establishment of the new housing activation office. This office will enable infrastructure to support public and private housing development while providing solutions to infrastructure blockages. It will draw on a new towns and cities infrastructure investment fund established to support strategic investment in housing-orientated infrastructure.”
“Approval for the NPF revision will ensure that the most up-to-date policy position becomes formally embedded as national planning policy with which the regional strategies and local-level plans are required to be consistent. The revised NPF will provide the basis for the review and updating of regional strategies and local authority development plans to reflect matters such as updated housing figures, projected jobs growth and renewable energy capacity allocations, including through the zoning of land for residential, employment and a range of other purposes. The plan-led approach to development further enhanced under the Planning and Development Act 2024 will continue to provide the basis for the identification and prioritisation of infrastructure delivery.”
“The development of tourism and other industries suited to rural areas is addressed throughout the document aligned with the Department of Rural and Community Development's Our Rural Future policy, which is the Government's blueprint for rural development. Single rural one-off housing will also continue to be supported in line with programme for Government commitments. The final draft revised NPF continues to reflect the commitment to achieve the objectives set out in the 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030 and retains the policy support for the implementation of language plans in Gaeltacht language planning areas, Gaeltacht service towns and Irish language networks.”
“The final draft revised NPF continues to support the overall development of urban and rural areas and deliver strengthened and diversified rural communities consistent with Government policy. Regarding supports for rural towns and villages, the draft revised NPF has been updated to take account of the town centre first policy approach and other Government initiatives such as the rural and urban regeneration funds, croí cónaithe and the continuation of the village renewal scheme and the vacant homes action plan. Regarding the rural economy, the circular bio-economy, rural enterprise, the agrifood sector and diversification are strongly supported within the plan.”
“Areas of focus such as district heating, biomethane and the circular economy are also flagged for particular attention. The NPF revision will ensure that our planning system can adequately reflect these important Government objectives. The revised NPF also acknowledges the clear link between climate action and the potential for investment generation and employment, including in connection with the offshore wind industry and green technology. The NPF highlights a need to plan for jobs and employment at locations that are integrated with the planned distribution of population and aligned to the development of the green economy and smart specialisation strategies that allow all regions to focus on their economic strengths.”
“Another critical element of this revision is the inclusion of new policies regarding renewable energy development, in particular, the inclusion of regional renewable electricity capacity allocations. This is to facilitate the accelerated roll-out and delivery of renewable electricity infrastructure for onshore wind and solar generation development in addition to the supporting grid development intended to support the achievement of the national targets set out in the climate action plan. The spatial planning system can play a key role in mitigating against climate change through the reduction of carbon emissions in sectors such as electricity and transport through the combined integration of land use and transport planning to support the use of public transport, cycling and walking.”
“The strategy sets out the spatial planning policy approach to accommodating projected population growth to 2040 in a manner that contributes to delivering balanced regional development with an even split of growth between the eastern and midland region and the southern, northern and western regions combined, based on a city-focused and compact growth pattern of development that will reverse the patterns of sprawl that have been a feature over recent decades. In terms of identifying locations for further growth and housing development at scale through transport-orientated development - a new element of the strategy - it is critical that planning for these opportunities commences immediately and is aligned with phased infrastructure investment.”
“The revised NPF strategy sets out the need to plan for a projected population of 6.1 million people in Ireland by 2040 under the baseline scenario provided by the ESRI and a possible requirement to plan for a high migration scenario of 6.3 million by 2040. Taking into account pent-up demand, the strategy sets out a need to plan for the delivery of approximately 50,000 additional housing units per annum nationally to 2040. This will result in the need to plan for more housing delivery than the capacity currently available within development plans across the country.”
“An information campaign, including broadcast, print digital and social media, also ran to raise awareness of the consultation process and to encourage the public to engage with the draft first revision. A total of 272 submissions were received during the draft consultation stage. On 5 November 2024, Government agreed to progress and publish a draft schedule of amendments to the first revision of the NPF arising from the public consultation. On 8 April 2025, Government approved a final draft revised NPF following the conclusion of the environmental assessments. One of the key drivers of the revision process related to the need to reflect updated population and housing projections further to census 2022 and subsequent demographic changes.”
“I will give a brief overview of the revision process, which began formally on 20 June 2023, when Government gave approval to commence the process of undertaking the first revision of the national planning framework in accordance with the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. The revision process has provided for wide-ranging consultation and engagement with stakeholders and the public. It included the reconvening of the planning advisory forum and the establishment of an expert group, a cross-party departmental group and an environmental assessment technical steering group. The draft first revision to the NPF and the associated environmental assessments were published in July 2024 and a national public consultation ran from 10 July to 12 September 2024.”
“It is great to be in the Seanad this evening. I spent four and half good years here as a Member, so it is always a pleasure to be back in the Seanad. I welcome the opportunity to discuss and seek approval for the final draft revised national planning framework, which was approved by Government on 8 April 2025. The finalisation of the approval process for the revised framework plays a key role in delivering on our broader objectives across Government. It will allow the significant policy changes and other factors that have taken place since 2018 to be integrated into the planning system.”
“It is important to say that looking to our targets and achieving 8 GW will require larger developments of solar energy and it will also require a significant ramp-up of microgeneration, which I know the Deputy cited in his opening remarks. It is not a case of either-or. It is a combination of both. We are committed to introducing guidelines. Significant reforms are under way in the context of the planning process. I will work with the Deputy and others in this House to make sure that we get them right and that we take on board the concerns of the public in the public participation that will be part of any development of the guidelines going forward.”
“As I said in my opening statement, and as I know the Deputy knows, there are no regulations currently in place but on foot of the programme for Government we are in the process of developing those. It is important to say that they will involve a public consultation element which people will be able to feed into. It is also important to mention that the planning system as a whole is subject to significant reform at the moment, particularly in the context of the Planning and Development Act and the national planning framework. These processes will augment the existing system, including that of solar development. That said, I understand the concerns the Deputy is raising. I am from Waterford, where we have had a significant number of solar developments. That is why, in the programme for Government, we are committed to introducing guidelines.”
“From a policy perspective, the national planning framework, NPF, sets the long-term strategy for the spatial development of Ireland to 2040 and informs the hierarchy of plans that cascade to regional and local levels. The draft revised NPF, which was passed by Cabinet yesterday, includes enhanced policy support for renewable energy development, including, in particular, the introduction of regional renewable electricity capacity allocations for solar development to achieve the national targets set out in the Climate Action Plan 2024. From a planning legislation perspective, the Planning and Development Act, which was signed into law last year, will deliver a range of measures to enhance the existing legislative framework. As I said, we are in the early stages of developing guidelines for solar developments.”
“In making a decision on a planning application for a solar energy development, a planning authority must consider the specific merits or otherwise of the application, in line with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area, having regard to, among other matters, the provisions of the development plan including any zoning objectives; any submissions or observations received from the public and the statutory consultees; and any relevant ministerial or government policies, including any guidelines issued by my Department. With respect to the regulation of solar energy developments more generally, planning plays an important role from both a policy and legislative perspective.”
“It is important to say that any future guidelines will contain a process for public participation where all views can be taken on board, including Deputy O'Connor's. Until the planning guidelines for solar energy developments are finalised, there are no specific planning guidelines currently in place that deal with solar energy development, as is the case for most types of development. Proposals for individual solar energy developments, including on greenfield sites, are subject to the statutory requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, in the same manner as other proposed developments, with planning applications made to the relevant local authority in the first instance.”
“The programme for Government has committed to a land use review to ensure that optimal land use options inform all relevant Government decisions. The second phase of the land use review, which is under way, will seek to identify the key demands on land, both public and private, to inform policies for land use across key Government objectives, including socioeconomic, climate, biodiversity, water and air quality outcomes. From a planning perspective, the programme for Government contains a commitment to introduce planning guidelines for solar energy developments. In light of this commitment, my Department has begun an initial scoping process to identify the component factors relevant to the preparation of these guidelines, including the possible timeframe for publication.”
“I thank Deputy O'Connor for raising this important issue, as I know he has done on many occasions in this Chamber. It gives me the opportunity to update Members on the development of solar farms on agricultural lands in Cork and across the country. I highlight first that the recently published Programme for Government 2025: Securing Ireland's Future reaffirms Ireland's ambitious target of having 8 GW of solar capacity connected to the grid by 2030 to meet the requirement of 80% of electricity demand supplied by renewables. Solar energy is a growing source of electricity, with circa 1.5 GW of solar photovoltaic, PV, capacity currently installed. Further solar capacity will be required and that will involve a combination of the micro generation the Deputy spoke of and larger projects.”
“Likewise, we have to develop clear, robust guidelines that will enable Uisce Éireann to take that infrastructure in charge.”
“I reiterate that there are investigations to determine what will be possible in respect of an interim solution to bring the plant into compliance and potentially to allow for the expansion of capacity. Those investigations will be completed by the end of quarter 2. To reiterate, we want to continue to invest in Uisce Éireann to facilitate the maintenance of the network and to ensure there is facility for growth in areas such as Dunmanway. All those plans are to be submitted by Uisce Éireann to the Department and will be examined in the context of the national development plan and funding requirements. To reiterate, I want to see faster progress on the delivery of these, but we also have to look at clear guidance in smaller areas where Uisce Éireann may not be able to develop, which may involve the private sector.”
“There is a need to crystallise to planning authorities, public representatives, developers and the public the acceptable type of wastewater treatment solutions and the development of consents in locations where existing public wastewater facilities are not available. I can confirm that work is under way with key stakeholders, including Uisce Éireann, on the development of guidelines for appropriate infrastructure, which may be provided by the private sector. Any such infrastructure would have to be fully compliant with environmental requirements and developed in accordance with appropriate specification for handover to Uisce Éireann for ongoing operation and maintenance. I look forward to responding to the Senator's follow-up.”
“Uisce Éireann will have completed this investigation by the end of the second quarter of this year. It is also working with a contractor to see how to maximise the output of the plant and I am advised that will take until the third quarter of this year because a series of tests on the plant must be carried out. I recognise the difficulty of the situation in Dunmanway. The Senator has spoken to me about it and I understand that at a national level, we need to consider all options to ensure there are sufficient wastewater treatment facilities available to support growth in locations such as Dunmanway.”