Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said he expects a mammoth bill to overhaul the planning system to be brought to Cabinet “in the coming weeks”.
His comments came as data showed that there was a 22.4% increase in the number of new homes started in July 2023 compared with the same month last year.
The data show commencement notices for 2,985 new homes were received by Building Control Authorities in July 2023, up from 2,438 for the same month in 2022.
The Department of Housing said the “strong uptick in commencements” this year has continued and 18,546 homes have been started in the first seven months of 2023.
This is an 11.8% increase on the same period last year.
Meanwhile, Mr O’Brien said his landmark planning Bill, which is expected to be the third-largest piece of legislation in the history of the State, would be introduced to the Dail in the coming session.
“It’s a very important reform of our planning system and our planning legislation that’s badly needed, frankly, and a lot of very detailed work has gone into it.”
He said the Bill was a complex matter which requires certainty in legislation to support residential and strategic-infrastructure developments.
The minister said the Bill would improve transparency while “ensuring that people and communities have their say”.
Mr O’Brien said the reform was urgent and he wanted to see it passed before Christmas.
Speaking to reporters at the opening of a Focus Ireland housing complex, Mr O’Brien said the legislation would be fully compliant with the Aarhus Convention, which relates to access to justice and public participation.
“We want a ‘no surprises’ planning process as well. We need our planning system to be to plan-led so communities know on different sites, what is going to be to be developed in more detail as well.”
The Focus Ireland development provides a total of 20 one-bed and two-bed apartments on Connaught Street in Phibsboro, Dublin.
It is an intentional social mix in housing which includes people leaving homelessness who may need ongoing support and others on the housing waiting lists who need a home.
Focus Ireland said this approach helps to provide vibrant, sustainable communities while providing ongoing tenancy support for individuals with past experiences of homelessness or those at risk.
