Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993

What is this act about?

This law amends and extends existing planning and development legislation, primarily focusing on how planning rules apply to development carried out by or on behalf of State authorities. It introduces new provisions for regulating such development and clarifies when planning permission is not required for State projects.

Who it applies to: State authorities, including Ministers of the Government and the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland; Local authorities who are planning authorities.

At a glance

Country: Ireland
Area of law: Other legislation
Articles: 6
Source: irishstatutebook.ie
Text retrieved: 2026-06-17
Explanation updated: 2026-07-07

What does this act regulate?

The application of planning laws to development undertaken by State authorities.
The Minister's power to make regulations exempting certain State developments from planning laws, especially for public safety, justice, or national security.
Procedures for public notice, information sharing, and environmental impact assessments for State developments.
The conditions under which planning permission is not, or was not, required for State development.

Who does this act apply to?

State authorities, including Ministers of the Government and the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland.
Local authorities who are planning authorities.

What are the key points?

The Minister can make regulations to exempt specified classes of development by State authorities from planning laws if related to public safety, order, justice, or national security, or if already authorised by another enactment.
Regulations can require State authorities to publish notices, provide documents, make information available for public inspection, prepare environmental impact statements, and consider public submissions for proposed development.
In cases of accident or emergency, a Minister of the Government or the Minister for Finance can issue an order to temporarily waive planning laws or specific regulatory requirements for State development.
Planning permission under Part IV of the Principal Act was not, and is deemed never to have been, required for State development carried out or commenced before this section's commencement, with specific exceptions for court findings.
Planning permission is not required for State development commenced within one year of this section's commencement, or for development where consultation was completed before the repeal of section 84 of the Principal Act.

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Legal text

Contents (6)

Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6

Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993 Skip to content Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Gaeilge Léim go dtí an t-ábhar Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach English Gaeilge English Produced by the Office of the Attorney General Táirgthe ag Oifig an Ard-Aighne Home Legislation Acts of the Oireachtas Statutory Instruments Pre-1922 Legislation Constitution External Resources Bills (Houses of the Oireachtas) Iris Oifigiúil / Official Gazette Revised Acts (LRC) Classified List of Legislation (LRC) Translations (acts.ie) Translations (Houses of the Oireachtas) Government Publications for Sale EU Law (EUR-Lex) FAQ Disclaimer Feedback Helpdesk Search Baile Reachtaíocht Achtanna an Oireachtais Ionstraimí Reachtúla Reachtaíocht Réamh-1922 Bunreacht Acmhainní Seachtracha Billí (Tithe an Oireachtais) Iris Oifigiúil Achtanna Athbhreithnithe (CAD) (An Coimisiún um Athchóiriú an Dlí) Liosta Rangaithe Reachtaíochta Aistriúcháin (achtanna.ie) Aistriúcháin (Tithe an Oireachtais) Foilseacháin Rialtais ar Díol Dlí AE (EUR-Lex) CCanna (Ceisteanna Coitianta) Séanadh Aiseolas Deasc chabhrach Cuardach TitleTeideal Year(s) or rangeBliain nó blianta nó raon TypeCineál All Legislation Acts Statutory Instruments Advanced SearchCuardach Casta HomeBaile ActsAchtanna 1993 Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993 Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993 Permanent Page URL View by SectionAmharc de réir Ailt View Full ActAmharc ar an Acht Iomlán Bill History Stair Bille Commencement, Amendments, SIs made under the Act Tosach Feidhme, Leasuithe, IRí arna ndéanamh faoin Acht Print Full ActPriontáil an tAcht Iomlán Number 12 of 1993 LOCAL GOVERNMENT (PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT) ACT, 1993 ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS Section

Section 1

Interpretation.

Section 2

Development by State authorities.

Section 3

Amendment of section 78 of Principal Act.

Section 4

Application of Part IV of Principal Act to certain development.

Section 5

Repeal.

Section 6

Short title, collective citation, commencement and construction.

Acts Referred to Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963 1963, No. 28 Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1992 Number 12 of 1993 LOCAL GOVERNMENT (PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT) ACT, 1993 AN ACT TO AMEND AND EXTEND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT) ACTS, 1963 TO 1992. [14th June, 1993] BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS:

Interpretation.

1.—(1) In this Act— “the Acts” means the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1992, and any instrument made thereunder; “the Commissioners” means the Commissioners of Public Works in Ireland; “the Principal Act” means the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1963 ; “State authority” means any authority being— (a) a Minister of the Government, or (b) the Commissioners.

(2)In this Act a reference to the carrying out of development on behalf of a State authority shall, where that authority is a Minister of the Government, be construed as including a reference to the carrying out of development by the Commissioners on his behalf.

(3)In this Act— (a) a reference to a section is a reference to a section of this Act, unless it is indicated that reference to some other enactment is intended, (b) a reference to a subsection or paragraph is a reference to the subsection or paragraph of the provision in which the reference occurs, unless it is indicated that reference to some other provision is intended.

(4)In this Act a reference to any other enactment shall, unless the context otherwise requires, be construed as a reference to that enactment as amended, adapted or extended by or under any subsequent enactment (including this Act).

Development by State authorities.

2.—(1) (a) Without prejudice to section 4 of the Principal Act, the Minister may, by regulations, provide that the Acts shall not apply to any specified class or classes of development by or on behalf of a State authority where— (i) such development is, in the opinion of the Minister, in connection with or for the purposes of public safety or order, the administration of justice or national security or defence; or (ii) the carrying out of such development requires to be authorised by or under any enactment (whether such authorisation takes the form of the grant of a licence, consent, approval or any other type of authorisation), and for so long as such regulations are in force the Acts shall not apply to the said class or classes of development. (b) The Minister may, where he considers it necessary or expedient to do so, by regulations provide for any or all of the following matters in relation to any class or classes of development to which regulations under paragraph (a) apply, namely: (i) the publication by a State authority of any specified notice with respect to development that it proposes to carry out or to have carried out on its behalf (hereafter in this paragraph referred to as “proposed development”), (ii) the giving by a State authority, to the planning authority for the area in which proposed development is to be carried out or any other specified person, of any specified notice, documents, particulars, plans or other information with respect to the proposed development, (iii) the making available for inspection by members of the public of any specified documents, particulars, plans or other information with respect to proposed development, (iv) the preparation of an environmental impact statement with respect to proposed development, the contents of such a statement and the making available for inspection or purchase by members of the public of such a statement, (v) the making of submissions or observations to a State authority with respect to proposed development, (vi) the reference to a specified person of any dispute or disagreement with respect to proposed development between a State authority and the planning authority for the area in which the proposed development is to be carried out, (vii) requiring a State authority, in deciding whether proposed development is to be carried out, to have regard to any specified matters or considerations.

(2)(a) Where development is proposed to be carried out by or on behalf of a Minister of the Government or the Commissioners, the Minister of the Government concerned or, in the case of development proposed to be carried out by or on behalf of the Commissioners, the Minister for Finance may, if he is satisfied that the carrying out of the development is required by reason of an accident or emergency, by order provide that the Acts or, as may be appropriate, any requirement or requirements of regulations under subsection (1) (b) specified in the order shall not apply to the development and for so long as such an order is in force the Acts or the said requirement or requirements, as the case may be, shall not apply to the development. (b) A Minister of the Government may by order revoke an order made by him under paragraph (a). (c) A Minister of the Government shall cause an order made by him under this subsection to be published in the Iris Oifigiúil and notice of the making of the order to be published in a newspaper circulating in the area of the development concerned.

(3)Regulations under subsection (1) (b) may contain such incidental, supplemental and consequential provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, may include provisions modifying or adapting any enactment or instrument made under an enactment for the purpose of enabling the regulations to have full effect.

Amendment of section 78 of Principal Act.

3.—Section 78 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by the substitution for the provisions thereof (other than the provisions inserted therein by the European Communities (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 1989 ( S.I. No. 349 of 1989 )) of the following subsection: “(1) (a) Regulations made in relation to any specified cases or classes of cases of development proposed to be carried out by local authorities who are planning authorities may provide for any or all of the following matters: (i) the publication by a local authority of any specified notice with respect to development that they propose to carry out (hereafter in this subsection referred to as ‘proposed development’), (ii) the giving by a local authority to any specified persons of any specified notice, documents, particulars, plans or other information with respect to proposed development, (iii) the making available for inspection by members of the public of any specified documents, particulars, plans or other information with respect to proposed development, (iv) the making of submissions or observations to a local authority with respect to proposed development, (v) the preparation by a local authority of a report, dealing with any specified matters, with respect to proposed development, and the submission to the members of a local authority of such a report. (b) Regulations under this subsection may contain such incidental, supplemental and consequential provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient.”.

Application of Part IV of Principal Act to certain development.

4.—(1) Permission under Part IV of the Principal Act shall not be, and shall be deemed never to have been, required for development carried out or commenced by or on behalf of a State authority before the commencement of this section (hereafter in this subsection referred to as “State development”):

Provided that if in any proceedings— (i) a court has, before the commencement of this section, made a finding that permission as aforesaid was required for particular State development, or (ii) a court, after the commencement of this section, makes such a finding and the proceedings concerned were initiated before the 26th day of May, 1993, this subsection shall not have effect in relation to the particular State development.

(2)Permission under Part IV of the Principal Act shall not be required for— (a) any development commenced by or on behalf of a State authority during a period of one year beginning on the commencement of this section, or (b) any development commenced by or on behalf of a State authority after the commencement of section 5 in respect of which consultation pursuant to section 84 of the Principal Act has been completed before the commencement of section 5 .

Repeal.

5.—Section 84 of the Principal Act is hereby repealed.

Short title, collective citation, commencement and construction.

6.—(1) This Act may be cited as the Local Government (Planning and Development) Act, 1993.

(2)The Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1992, and this Act may be cited together as the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1993.

(3)This Act shall come into operation on such day or days as may be fixed therefor by order or orders of the Minister, either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision, and different days may be so fixed for different purposes and different provisions of this Act.

(4)This Act and the Local Government (Planning and Development) Acts, 1963 to 1992, shall be construed together as one Act.

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