Former HSE boss Paul Reid to be named Planning Authority chair
It is understood that housing minister James Browne will bring Mr Reid's name to Cabinet on Tuesday for appointment.
Mr Reid, who previously led the HSE and chaired the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use, will take over at An Comisiún Pleanála, which was formally legislated for as part of the mammoth Planning and Development Act 2024.
The establishment of An Comisiún Pleanála has been long anticipated, with the previous Government's mammoth Planning and Development Act providing the legislative basis for the new body.
The establishment of An Comisiún Pleanála has been long anticipated, with the previous Government's mammoth Planning and Development Act providing the legislative basis for the new body.
This will replace the previous board structure of An Bord Pleanála.
A new system of mandatory, statutory timelines for planning decisions will be introduced. This means An Comisiún Pleanála will be required to make decisions and adjudicate appeals within 18 to 48 weeks.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Croke Park demonstration in support of Palestine kids denied entry for GAA tour
Children from GAA clubs across the country joined forces with Bas O'Curraoin in Croke Park on Sunday to appeal to the Government to let 33 Palestinian children into Ireland for their GAA Palestine Irish tour. Earlier, the Department of Justice refused visas to the group of Gaelic football players from Palestine. A lack of compliance with visa application criteria is the reason given for the visa denials. GAA Palestine, which had planned to bring the 33 Palestinian children and young teenagers to Ireland, has vowed to appeal against the decision and said the setback would not 'deter' them. The team of children and 14 of their mentors were to travel to Ireland later this week for a tour, but were denied entry. The tour was scheduled to begin on July 18, with more than 100 Irish families volunteering to host the Palestinian group, and numerous GAA clubs fundraising to support the visit. In a statement, the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration said the visas were rejected due to a lack of compliance to visa application criteria.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork-Limerick motorway will have 'devastating consequences' for farmland, claims group
A group representing 1,500 people says the Cork-Limerick motorway will have devastating consequences for some of the finest farmland in the country, result in the demolition of 20 homes, and prove extremely costly for the taxpayer. The Cork-Limerick Alliance Group, which represents farmers, teachers, businessmen, and householders, believes 'there are many shortcomings in the current M20 planning that will ultimately result in more negatives than positives for the majority of people who use the road". That's according to the group's chairman Brian Hyde, who said while they support road safety improvements on the route they have a number of concerns about the overall project. 'The Government recently announced its intention to toll the road, which will make travelling on the M20 cost prohibitive for many. This will result in commuters using back roads and the current N20, which will become the 'old road'," Mr Hyde said. He said short and intra urban journeys account for the vast majority of journeys taken on the existing N20. 'We have been informed there is no plan in place to improve these existing roads when the M20 is built, which means the current issues we have now around safety will remain unresolved, and in our opinion, will just get worse. That is unacceptable,' Mr Hyde said. Cost to taxpayer a 'big negative' He added the enormous cost to the taxpayer 'is another big negative". 'The current M20 planning is going to hit people's pockets in three big ways: The exorbitant cost to build the new road, which is estimated at between €1bn and €3bn; the direct carbon pollution and resulting carbon tax it will inevitably cause given it's going through many greenfield sites and causing a lot of environmental issues; and lastly the tolls people will have to pay to use the road for every journey, every day,' Mr Hyde said. He said his group firmly believe there is a far most cost-efficient and less environmentally impactful way to achieve the M20 aims. 'This would be to stay online with the current N20 and upgrade the existing road, to work with what we have, rather than going offline to take hundreds of acres of prime agricultural land in the Golden Vale and devastate family farms in the process. "It will also take up to 20 homes in the midst of a raging housing crisis, as well as pollute and very negatively impact the Blackwater River,' he said. The river is designated an SAC (Special Area of Conservation) and the group say building a new bridge across if will cost millions and is not needed. 'What makes far more sense instead is to bypass Charleville and Buttevant, which are the major traffic bottlenecks on the current N20 and to build an overpass between the two roundabouts at Mallow, as the town is already bypassed. Taking that approach would deliver a safer, faster, less impactful and far less costly road connection between Cork and Limerick with no tolls. "It would also be delivered in roughly half the time it will take to build the M20. It just makes far more sense on multiple levels,' Mr Hyde said. It's unlikely work will start on the project until at least 2028 and the motorway is expected to be open no sooner than 2035.
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
New ‘right to be forgotten' law for cancer survivors marks significant step – survivors deserve to move on with lives
THERE was some good news for cancer survivors this week. The Government said it will progress plans to give them the 'right to be forgotten' and end barriers to accessing financial products. 2 Robert Troy writes that cancer survivors deserve to move on with their lives without being penalised Credit: Alamy 2 The Government will bring forward legislation to enshrine in law that they have the 'right to be forgotten' Credit: Getty Images - Getty The Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025 will ensure cancer survivors can't be discriminated against when it comes to obtaining certain insurance products, specifically mortgage protection, due to their medical history. For too long, cancer survivors in Ireland have faced an uphill battle not just in beating the cruel disease but then in rebuilding their lives, particularly when it comes to accessing basic financial products. Despite being in remission for years, many are penalised for their past diagnosis. The legislation was proposed by Fianna Fail's Catherine Ardagh. Writing in The Irish Sun on Sunday today, Robert Troy, Minister of State with special responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, says a fairer deal for cancer survivors starts now. READ MORE IN IRISH NEWS THIS week marked a significant step forward in our commitment to fairness, transparency and compassion in the insurance market. The Government will bring forward legislation before the summer recess to enshrine in law the 'right to be forgotten' for At the heart of this legislation is a simple principle: if you've beaten cancer, your past diagnosis should not define your financial future. Survivors deserve to move on with their lives — to buy a home, protect their Most read in The Irish Sun Many cancer survivors in Ireland have found themselves excluded or charged unfairly when applying for basic financial protections like The major symptoms of 'common cancer' as HSE say 'know the signs' That's not right. It's not reflective of the person they are today, nor is it reflective of the values we aspire to as a country. That's why this Government is acting. This is a Bill with broad cross-party support. I must commend my Her effort over the years has allowed me to introduce it as a Government Bill, speeding up the process and advancing it before the summer recess. CERTAINTY NEEDED Her tireless advocacy has helped bring this issue to the fore and push it up the political agenda. The new legislation will start with mortgage protection — following international best practice — and we hope to review the scope of the legislation in future in a careful, informed way, with a view to delivering the most impact for the greatest number of people. I want to acknowledge the positive steps already taken within the industry. In 2023, a Voluntary Code of Practice was introduced by Insurance Ireland and supported by the Irish It was a welcome move that showed what is possible when an industry works with advocates and Government to do the right thing. However, voluntary codes alone aren't enough. Survivors deserve certainty. That's what this legislation will provide. ADVANCEMENT SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED Enshrining this into law means While eight companies signed up to the Voluntary Code, its very nature meant they could withdraw or that new entrants to the market could disregard it. That will not be the case with this law. This is about removing unnecessary barriers to home ownership and It's about making sure our insurance system treats people with dignity, respect and fairness. And it's about restoring confidence that the market is transparent and working in the best interests of all citizens. Cancer is a monumental hill to climb for individuals, their partners and families. We are fortunate that with advances in That advancement should not be punished. Survivors who have been without treatment for seven years, or five if diagnosed under the age of 18, will now have clarity and comfort. This legislation is also a direct delivery on our Programme for Government commitment. It was included for a reason: because it's the right thing to do. REFORM FOR FAIRNESS The Government has been clear in its ambition to drive a more inclusive and fair insurance landscape. This announcement is a major milestone on that journey. It was a piece of legislation which I wanted to make real progress on when I took up my role in January and it is my intention that this Bill will be enacted before the end of the year. It is also important to recognise the ongoing work of the Irish Cancer Society whose campaigning and research has been instrumental, and Insurance Ireland, who have constructively engaged throughout and managed the Voluntary Code of Practice. Legislative drafting is underway and we are working closely with colleagues across We're also talking with key stakeholders to ensure the law strikes the right balance between consumer protection and market integrity. We want to send a clear message to cancer survivors: We see you, we support you, and we are changing the law to make your path forward easier. This reform is not about punishing insurers, it's about building a market that is based on fairness, transparency, and compassion. That's what modern Ireland should be about. And that is what this Government is delivering.
