Government moves to fast-track Planning Act judicial review rules in new Amendment Bill
Saturday 11 July 2026
The Government has introduced the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 to the Seanad, aiming to apply new judicial review rules to decisions made under older planning laws.
The Government has introduced the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2026 to the Seanad to accelerate the implementation of the Planning and Development Act 2024 and apply new judicial review rules to older planning decisions.
Speaking during the Second Stage debate in the Seanad, Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy John Cummins, confirmed that the Bill has successfully passed through Dáil Éireann.
Speeding Up Judicial Reviews
A key function of the new Bill is to apply the judicial review provisions of the 2024 Act to acts done or decisions made under the older Planning and Development Act 2000.
Minister of State Cummins explained that because of the lead-in time required for decisions to be made under the 2024 Act, it would otherwise take several months for the new judicial review rules to impact proceedings. By extending the 2024 Act rules to decisions made under the 2000 Act, the Government aims to speed up the transition and bring the new rules into effect in the second half of this year. This includes removing the requirement to apply for leave to apply for judicial review proceedings, which is intended to reduce legal delays.
Ten-Year Development Plans
The Bill also introduces amendments to Part 3 of the 2024 Act to manage the transition to the new ten-year county and city development plans.
Under the proposed legislation, a deadline of 31 December 2027 will be set for completing the reviews of the three regional spatial and economic strategies. This deadline will allow planning authorities to extend their current development plans to a maximum period between February and December 2030.
This expiry date will trigger the adoption of new ten-year development plans under the 2024 Act. Local authorities will be required to start making their new plans between July 2027 and July 2028 at the latest. The Minister of State clarified that all development plan reviews must now be conducted solely under the 2024 Act.
Phased Commencement
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently finalising the revised planning regulations to accompany the 2024 Act. The remaining provisions of the 2024 Act are anticipated to be brought into effect later this year, following the enactment of this amendment Bill.