Latest news with #PlanningandDevelopmentAct2024
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'SMEs are being squeezed from every side': ISME urges National Minimum Wage reset
ISME has published its pre-Budget submission, which calls for a reset of the National Minimum Wage, saying it is not the solution to the cost-of-living crisis. The business group, representing small and medium businesses, listed five issues to be addressed by the Budget in October. In relation to business costs, they said there are structural and statistical issues with the calculation of the minimum wage here. They said public sector wages exceed those in the private sector and with Ireland at full employment, they expect the matter to be reversed. They also said that SMEs in particular experience the 'crowding out' effects of the FDI sector in wage pressures, accommodation pressures, and pressures for access to water, sewerage and energy infrastructure. ISME said it was seeking a report within six months specifying why the components of Ireland's consumer and energy costs are the highest pre-tax prices in the EU. Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive of ISME, said: "SMEs are being squeezed from every side on energy, insurance, regulation, housing and wages. This Budget needs to stop the rot. We need policies that back Irish businesses, not just foreign multinationals. If we don't address this imbalance in the economy now, we will pay the price in jobs and lost investment. "We cannot continue with business as usual. If we want thriving towns, competitive employers and a balanced economy, we need to put Irish SMEs at the centre of policy, not on the sidelines." The group also made recommendations in relation to the public finances saying the State's current spending profile is unsustainable and is propped up by unreliable corporation tax receipts. "ISME considers it unwise to divert so much of this excess yield into core recurring expenditure. We must stop untargeted something-for-everyone spending and focus on right-now deficits in infrastructure, energy and security." They also called for changes to social protection and said supports must not encourage lower work intensity. "Everyone, including workers earning below €352pw, should pay into the social protection system," the submission states. Housing ISME said the prime driver of wage demand growth was the cost of housing, and that many medium and large companies have become the new local landlords. "The rapid decline in our available stock of accommodation post great financial crash is due to tax and regulation policy. These must be reversed." "We also need to understand the impact on housing stock that the influx of large numbers of foreign students attending our universities creates. Students should not be competing with families and adults for access to housing, and require a dedicated stock of accommodation," ISME said. They said planning laws have become the greatest impediment to the delivery of housing, commercial property and infrastructure and while the Planning and Development Act 2024 is intended to speed this process up, it will only impact new applications. "Government must consider strategies to expedite necessary applications that are already in the system," ISME said.
The Journal
5 days ago
- Business
- The Journal
Emergency legislation to extend planning permissions that are due to lapse to go to Cabinet
EMERGENCY LEGISLATION TO extend planning permissions that are due to lapse is set to go to Cabinet this morning. Minister James Browne will seek approval for measures to allow housing developers apply for a three-year extension on existing planning permission, in certain cases. The legislation, which has been worked on alongside Minister of State for Planning John Cummins, seeks to ensure developments held up by factors such as judicial reviews, finance, and infrastructure constraints can still go ahead before permission lapses. The move comes just six weeks after The Journal reported that Cairns boss Michael Stanley had called for an emergency law to be introduced to stop thousands of planning permissions lapsing. Advertisement Stanley, who is the CEO of one of the country's largest property developers, said that 10 to 15,000 planning approvals that have gone through the system are now at risk of lapsing. He said last month that such legislation was needed and could be brought in 'overnight' if there was political will to do so. Planning permissions, which are not implemented within a certain time period, generally five years, are at risk of lapsing if an extension isn't granted. It is understood Browne and Cummins have carried out extensive work on the legislation in a bid to activate developments such as large scale apartments which might otherwise time out of planning permission. The legislation, which was discussed by party leaders last night, involves two provisions to deal with expiring permission to encourage their activation. Firstly, it is proposed a provision in the new Planning and Development Act 2024 will be brought forward, so that that holders of all permissions that have been through a judicial review can apply to the planning authority for a retrospective suspension of the period of time their permission was held up. Related Reads Cairn Homes chief says emergency law needed to stop thousands of planning permissions lapsing At the moment, the clock does not stop on a duration when the permission is subject to a judicial review which in some cases can take years. The second provision will allow developers with just two years left on their permission to apply for an extension for up to three years. However, in order to activate the development, the application for an extension must be made within six months of the legislation commencing and development must commence within 18 months of the commencement of the legislation. The legislation to underpin the changes will be completed prior to the Dáil summer recess, with thousands of units are expected to be covered by this activation measure. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Browne brings emergency legislation to prevent lapsing planning permissions
Housing Minister James Browne is to bring emergency legislation to Cabinet on Tuesday to prevent planning permissions lapsing if they were held up by judicial reviews. The Government will make two major changes to planning laws in a bid to see developments such as large-scale apartment schemes, whose permission might otherwise expire, proceed. The legislation, which has been worked on by Mr Browne and junior housing minister John Cummins, seeks to avoid what sources said were "thousands" of planning permissions lapsing. Under the first provision, part of the new Planning and Development Act 2024 will be brought forward so that holders of all permissions that have gone through a judicial review can apply for a retrospective suspension of the period of time their permission was held up. At present, the time that a planning permission is valid does not stop while the permission is subject to a judicial review — which in some cases can take years. Mr Browne will also seek to make a change that will allow developers with just two years left on their permission to apply for an extension for up to three years. However, these applications must be made within six months of the law commencing and development must begin within 18 months. Read More Developers behind growing number of planning court cases
Irish Independent
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
‘There's a risk to life, a risk to health', says Clontarf councillor demanding flood defence action
Fine Gael councillor Clodagh Ní Mhuirí recently wrote to the Minister of State for Planning, John Cummins, to highlight the need for clear timelines around planning decisions and delivery of flood defence projects. His response outlined the mandatory statutory timeframes that will be introduced under the Planning and Development Act 2024. 'There have been conversations ongoing for 15, if not 20 years about flood defences in Clontarf,' Ms Ní Mhuirí said. 'I've been looking into the process ahead and what that will look like. One of the things that stood out to me is the length of time these types of projects tend to take. 'Over the entire 20th century, the estimated rise of the sea level in Dublin Bay was about 150 millimetres, but between 2000 and now, which is a quarter of that time, it's estimated to have risen 175 millimetres. 'You're looking at higher sea level, more frequent storms over the last couple of winters, weather warnings of the damage that could be caused by those storms. 'That risk is increasing all the time. If we're serious about climate action, we need to make sure that people are protected from the effects of that. 'If your house or business is flooded, that has a lot of wide-ranging impacts. It's not just something that happens one day and then it's resolved. 'There's a risk to life, a risk to health, particularly if you're looking at maybe older people or people with mobility difficulties that might find it harder to get out of their residence if there is a flood.' Ms Ní Mhuirí said clear timelines for planning decisions and delivery of flood defence projects is needed urgently, and solutions need to be permanent. 'The longer that you're waiting for a permanent flood defence, the longer the temporary solutions are in place,' she added. 'I'm always asked what's happening with the sandbags [on Clontarf seafront], they have been there a long time. People want to see something more permanent. 'If you get through all of those stages of public consultation, design invitations, tender applications, environmental assessments, and you're then waiting years for a decision on it, it means the risk is increasing all of the time. 'In relation to the flooding that took place in Castle Court and Auburn in 2023, those residents are facing huge insurance costs every year. 'I wrote to the Minister for planning about this. He's pointed out that the new Planning and Development Act 2024 will begin soon. Under that new act, there will actually be mandatory statutory timeframes for decisions to be made. 'Projects like this, local authority projects that need environmental assessments, a decision will have to be made within 26 weeks of the deadline for submissions on it. That should bring a lot more clarity,' she added.
Irish Independent
01-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Letters: New office aimed at boosting house-building needs additional primary legislation to achieve its aims
'This office will help secure the enabling infrastructure needed for public and private housing development and unblock infrastructure delays on the ground, maximising the number of homes delivered from the supply pipeline already in place,' he said in response to Dáil questions. The house construction target is 300,000 units from now to 2030. In 1975, just under 27,000 new homes were built; in that year we had a population of 3.19 million. The estimated 2024 population, based on the Census 2022 figure of 5.149 million, is 5.394 million. There were 30,330 new dwelling completions in the whole of 2024. Acknowledging the large number of completions in the 'housing boom' era, the historical fact remains that last year just over 6,000 more homes were completed than 1975, despite a population increase of over 2,200,000 (59pc) in that period. The SHAO faces enormous challenges: unblocking infrastructural delays; facilitating a climate whereby builders can access finance to engage in major developments; increasing the number of houses built directly by housing authorities; minimising the effects of the Nimby culture and judicial reviews; and somehow providing a proper supply of affordable homes for purchase, rather than renting. We are facing a tenure crisis that would have Michael Davitt spinning in his grave, with hundreds of thousands of citizens living in accommodation in which they have not a bathroom tile of equity. Unfortunately, as I cannot see how the provisions of the Planning and Development Act 2024 address any of these issues, or the crippling complexity of our planning process, without empowering additional primary legislation I fear the SHAO mission is doomed. Larry Dunne, Rosslare Harbour, Co Wexford Why appoint a housing tsar when we already have somebody to do the job? It is the job of the Housing Minister to be the 'housing tsar'. Bill O'Rourke, Crumlin, Dublin 12 Hefty salary of €430,000 would be better spent on providing family homes The €430,000 salary flagged for the next housing tsar would be better spent on renting homes for up to 20 families currently living in emergency accommodation. ADVERTISEMENT Of course, it would also mean not introducing just another bureaucratic layer in attempts to actually solve the housing crisis. Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan Minister could easily field a couple of football teams with all those assistants Jim O'Sullivan ('Government should stop building empires and start building homes instead' Irish Independent, Letters, April 30) points out that the Housing Minister is supported by three junior ministers, a general secretary and nine assistant secretaries (I would assume several 'advisers' also). Does the appointment of a so-called housing tsar mean the Government does not have confidence in the minister to carry out his duties? Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Cork Chasm growing between Roman Catholicism and Christianity this century Following the death of Pope Francis, public deliberation on the tenets and beliefs of his successor is widespread. Currently, a group from the US is lobbying cardinals in Rome to appoint a man they wish will undo the great Christian work of Francis. The chasm between Roman Catholicism and actual Christianity is sadly becoming larger in the 21st century. In Robert Harris's excellent fictional novel Conclave, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, disturbed after a dialogue with Cardinal Benitez, thought to himself (page 279): 'Was it really possible that he had spent the last 30 years worshipping the church rather than God?' This sentence, and ignorance of the tradition that cardinals appeal to the Holy Spirit for guidance in electing a pope, illustrates a clear refusal by some to trust God, while ignoring the importance of the Trinity, both as individuals and one God. That they opt to put labels on any who are not of their ilk is totally unchristian. Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia Trump got dressing-down for dressing up – in a blue suit – at Francis's funeral Some sections of the media will stoop to any low to have a go at Donald Trump, probably resulting from a fit of childish pique, having got the US election result so disastrously wrong. The latest, almost farcical weapon of choice, is what one might call 'Blue Suit-Gate'. Apparently, some of these hard-bitten hacks have gone all sensitive over Mr Trump wearing a blue suit at Pope Francis's funeral. The facts undermine this bout of pseudo-fashion sensitivity. First, funeral etiquette dictates that it is perfectly acceptable to wear a blue suit at a funeral, particularly if one is not a chief mourner. I have to confess to the media fashion police that I have comm- itted this 'crime' myself. Guilty as charged. Second, and more importantly, if one looks at the rows of dignitaries seated behind Mr Trump, a substantial number were also wearing, you've guessed it, blue suits. One suspects that had Mr Trump worn a dark suit, it would have been judged as the wrong shade of dark. Eric Conway, Navan, Co Meath Policies have ruffled a few feathers, but president's pace of change impressive Much of what has been written about Donald Trump's first 100 days has been negative – and perhaps justifiably so ('In a mere 100 days, Trump has created a more volatile world', Editorial, April 30). His policies have strained international alliances, unsettled economies and divided public opinion at home and abroad. Yet one cannot ignore the sheer pace at which his administration has moved. In an era when political processes often crawl forward, his ability to implement change – for better or worse – is remarkable. There is an uncomfortable lesson here: energy and initiative, even when misguided, can leave more deliberate democracies wrong-footed. Those who value steadiness and principle must now match that urgency not with haste, but with conviction and a clarity of purpose that resonates across borders.
