COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, November 10, 2025

MOTION NO. 4

MOTION: Councillor L. de Courcy

That this council agree large scale planning infringements relating to illegal development or occupation of land/buildings be prioritised and acted on in a timely manner, with enforcement proceedings against the owner/developer expedited and taking priority.

REPORT:

The Chief Executive recognises the importance of maintaining the integrity of the planning system and ensuring compliance with planning legislation.
Large-scale planning infringements, including unauthorised development or occupation of land and buildings, represent serious breaches of planning control. These cases can undermine sustainable development objectives and public confidence in the planning process. Therefore, it is appropriate that such infringements are prioritised for investigation and enforcement.

The Council cannot comment on individual cases but in general, large scale planning infringements are vigorously pursued for enforcement action in accordance with the statutory provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.
Under the 2000 Act, planning authorities are empowered to investigate unauthorised development, issue warning letters and enforcement notices, and initiate legal proceedings where necessary.

The Council encourages members of the public to report suspected breaches and assure them that such reports will be investigated thoroughly and acted upon in accordance with the law. The Draft Budget 2026 provides for additional recruitment of resources in this area.

In the August 2024 Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) Review Report of South Dublin County Council under section 31AS of the Planning & Development Act 2000, as amended, stated

'The planning department is committed to delivering an effective planning enforcement service with dedicated resources in place, including planning, technical and administrative staff. Furthermore, service delivery is well organised with established documented procedures in place and a fit-for purpose case management system as well as GIS functionality, which allows the integration of enforcement responses with development management responsibilities.'

The OPR Review Report did not include any process improvement recommendations for planning enforcement.