The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has issued a new planning circular confirming that an exemption from planning permission for certain short-term lettings of a person’s principal private residence now applies nationwide, rather than only in Rent Pressure Zones.Circular SPI 02/2026, published on 21 May 2026, informs planning authorities, An Coimisiún Pleanála, the Office of the Planning Regulator and other stakeholders that the Planning and Development (Short Term Letting – Planning and Development Act 2000) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 have been made. The regulations were signed by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne on 4 April…
Author: The Government Desk
The Government Desk
The Politics and Government Desk covers the Oireachtas, government departments and the policy process, including legislation as it moves from proposal to enactment. Each piece sets out what a measure does, who it affects and what has yet to be decided, with links to the underlying documents. Where something is proposed rather than enacted, we say so. coverage@theirishwire.com
The Government has published a new Plant Health and Biosecurity Strategy 2026 to 2030, setting out how Ireland plans to protect agriculture, horticulture, forestry and the wider environment from plant pests and diseases over the next five years.The strategy was published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine on 7 May 2026. Its stated purpose is to safeguard food security, facilitate safe trade and protect the environment by reducing the risk of harmful plant pests and diseases entering, spreading or becoming established in Ireland. The plan identifies three strategic goals: risk anticipation, risk surveillance and management, and risk…
The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation has issued Circular 18/2026, setting out new principles for better regulation of critical infrastructure projects in Ireland.The circular, published on 26 March 2026, applies to Government Departments and public bodies with responsibilities that are related to critical infrastructure in the energy, transport, water and, where applicable, housing sectors. Its stated purpose is to support faster delivery of infrastructure that enables housing and wider national development, while maintaining necessary regulatory safeguards. The circular gives effect to Action 11.1 of the Government’s Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan, published in December…
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has issued a new planning circular confirming a further change to the commencement date for mandatory Environmental Impact Assessment scoping requirements for certain renewable energy projects.Circular CEPP 2/2026, published on 30 April 2026, informs planning authorities, An Coimisiún Pleanála and other stakeholders that the European Union (Planning and Development) (Renewable Energy) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 have been made. The regulations were signed by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne on 29 April 2026 and came into operation on that date. The practical effect of the new regulations is narrow but…
The Government has published a new Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan, setting out 30 measures intended to reduce delays in the delivery of housing-enabling infrastructure, electricity networks, water services, public transport and roads. The plan, published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, is framed as a whole-of-government response to barriers that have slowed major project delivery in Ireland. The report comes at a time of historically high capital investment. The Government says direct State capital spending is estimated at €17 billion in 2025 and more than €19 billion in 2026, with total expected…