Government announces major draft planning guidelines for rural and Gaeltacht housing
Thursday 2 July 2026
Cabinet has approved the Draft Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing National Planning Statement to standardise one-off housing rules nationwide.
Cabinet has approved a new draft planning policy designed to simplify and standardise the rules for building rural homes across Ireland.
The Draft Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing National Planning Statement, brought forward by Housing Minister James Browne and Junior Minister John Cummins, aims to establish greater consistency across different local authorities. Ministers have described the proposals as the most significant overhaul of rural housing planning policy in two decades.
Under the draft guidelines, local councils will no longer be permitted to enforce restrictions on ribbon development. Additionally, local authorities will not be allowed to place caps on the number of homes that can be constructed on a single farm. The draft statement also advises councils against setting local limits on the total number of houses permitted within a specific area.
The policy aims to make it easier for families to build homes in their local areas while removing regional variations in how planning applications are assessed by different local authorities.