Easy to use guide to planning enforcement launched

Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD today (19/11/2012) launched a user-friendly guide to planning enforcement in Ireland.

Speaking at the launch Minister O’Sullivan said, “Rebuilding public confidence in the planning system is one of my key aims.  For too long the way we communicate planning information has been weighted down with technical jargon that is accessible to the professional, but often leaves the general public more confused than when they started.

“I warmly welcome the focus on clear communication of the planning system that professional bodies such as the Irish Planning Institute have prioritised.  Our planning system must belong to the broad community, not vested interests, and clearly communicating key aspects of how the planning system works is an important step in achieving this goal.”

Today the Minister launched a guide to planning enforcement and a shorter summary leaflet on the same subject.  The two documents on planning enforcement are available on the Department’s websitewww.environ.ie

“Planning enforcement is a central area of the planning process.  It ensures that the transparent decisions of a planning authority are actually carried out on the ground.  Citizens have the right to alert planning authorities to potential breaches of planning permissions and these two leaflets provide a clear, user-friendly guide for people who are looking for more information on the process.

Minister O’Sullivan concluded, “This is the first in a range of initiatives aimed at clear communication of the planning system and robust implementation of the planning enforcement regime that I plan to roll out in the coming months.  I will soon be presenting to the Oireachtas a policy directive to planning authorities on planning enforcement.  Work is also ongoing in relation to a Planning Policy Statement which will set out the guiding public policy objectives behind planning law and regulations and I intend to issue a non-statutory consolidated version of the Planning Acts in the coming weeks.  This will bring all current planning law together between two covers for the first time and I hope citizens and community groups will find it a significant resource in the area of planning.”