Latest news with #AnBordPleanála
The Journal
a day ago
- Business
- The Journal
Renaming An Bord Pleanála - and letting everyone know - has cost €77,000
THE RENAMING OF An Bord Pleanála to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) has cost the State planning watchdog nearly €77,000. New figures provided by An Coimisiún Pleanála show that the renaming has cost the State's flagship planning agency €76,921. The largest component is a €22,045 spend on the installation of external signage over its entrance and two corner projection signs with the new name at the agency's Marlborough Street HQ in Dublin 1. The €76,921 outlay also included a spend of €18,450 on architect consultancy which provided design, coordination and project management services for internal ground floor signs and external signage. The spend also included €18,450 on a radio ad campaign, €5,380 on a new sign installation cancellation fee, €6,363 on newspaper notices and €3,637 on the change of name on the corporate seal and rubber stamps. Sinn Féin housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin today described the spend as 'completely unnecessary as there was no need to change the name of An Bord Pleanála'. When first mooted in 2023 in wake of scandals at An Bord Pleanála, trade union FORSA expressed its opposition to plans to change the name as it would amount to a 'collective punishment'. Advertisement In correspondence with then Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien, assistant general secretary at FORSA, Ian McDonnell said that the Forsa branch within An Bord Pleanála had passed a motion 'expressing their opposition to this proposed name change'. McDonnell said that the proposed chance 'reflects negatively on all who work in the organisation' and is akin to 'collective punishment of all (past and present) in the organisation who have worked and continue to work diligently and conscientiously in accordance with public sector values of impartiality and integrity'. Ó Broin said that as a member of the Oireachtas Housing Committee he tabled an amendment to the then Planning and Development Bill to have the name of An Bord Pleanala retained but this was rejected by Government. Asked about staff's attitude to the name change, a spokesman for An Coimisiún Pleanála today said: 'In terms of staff feeling on the name change, while there was some unhappiness about the changing of the name when it was first suggested in early 2023, now the name change has taken place, the staff and planning commissioners of the Commission have embraced and accepted the name change. He stated that 'good developments are built on solid foundations and An Coimisiún Pleanála is built on the most solid of foundations which is down to the part played by all former staff and Board members who have served with An Bord Pleanála over the last 48 years'. As part of the bid to reduce backlog in appeals, the number of senior planning inspectors at An Coimisiún Pleanála totals 60 at the end of June 2025 compared to 45 at the end of December 2023. The appeals board now has two Directors of Planning while the number of planning inspectors has reduced from 39 at the end of last year to 35 now though five new appointees are due to start in July and August. The most recent quarterly figures show that the number of cases on hand at the end of March this year was 1,369, which was down 39% on the 2,247 cases on hand at the end of March 2024.
The Journal
a day ago
- Automotive
- The Journal
Twelve years after it was first rejected, the Slane bypass has been given planning permission
THE SLANE BYPASS has officially received planning permission, paving the way for a new 3.5km dual carriageway in Meath. Meath County Council's planning application for the N2 Slane Bypass and Public Realm Enhancement Scheme has been approved by An Coimisiún Pleanála. The project includes a 3.5km dual carriageway around Slane with a combined footway/cycleway and a 258-metre-long bridge. The works will also make several public realm enhancements in Slane village and improved traffic management measures and works on the N51 between the proposed bypass and the centre of the village. Advertisement Meath County Council Cathaoirleach Wayne Harding said the council is 'absolutely delighted with today's news as this vitally important project will address the transport needs of residents, businesses and visitors in the village of Slane and in the wider strategic road network within the vicinity'. 'Aside from significantly improving road safety in the area, this scheme will remove the bottleneck in the village, reducing traffic congestion and moving more heavy goods vehicles out of Slane, making the air much cleaner for all residents,' he said. The council's chief executive Kieran Kehoe said said that 'access to a more connected transport network that includes more reliable public transport, improved facilities for active travel and a new off-street car-park will boost the local economy within Slane and enable businesses to flourish'. Along the bypass, there will be a 258-metre bridge crossing the River Boyne Special Area of Conservation (SAC). Plans for a Slane bypass have been in the pipeline for years. In 2012, An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for a bypass, saying at the time that the road would be located close to the Brú na Bóinne UNESCO World Heritage. 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
RTÉ News
a day ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
Renaming of An Bord Pleanála cost €77,000
The contentious renaming of An Bord Pleanála to An Coimisiún Pleanála (ACP) has cost the State planning watchdog just under €77,000. New figures provided by An Coimisiún Pleanála show that the renaming has cost the State's flagship planning agency €76,921 and the largest component is a €22,045 spend on the installation of external over entrance signage and two corner projection signs with the new name at the agency's Marlborough Street HQ in Dublin 1. The €76,921 outlay also included a spend of €18,450 on architect consultancy which provided design, coordination and project management services for internal ground floor signs and external signage. The spend also included €18,450 on a radio ad campaign; €5,380 on a new sign installation cancellation fee; €6,363 on newspaper notices and €3,637 on the change of name on the corporate seal and rubber stamps. Sinn Fein Housing spokesman, Eoin Ó Broin today described the spend as "completely unnecessary as there was no need to change the name of An Bord Pleanála". When first mooted in 2023 in wake of scandals at the then An Bord Pleanála, trade union, FORSA expressed its opposition to plans to change the name as it would amount to a "collective punishment". In correspondence with then Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien, assistant general secretary at FORSA, Ian McDonnell said that the Forsa branch within An Bord Pleanála had passed a motion "expressing their opposition to this proposed name change". Mr McDonnell said that the proposed chance "reflects negatively on all who work in the organisation" and is akin to "collective punishment of all (past and present) in the organisation who have worked and continue to work diligently and conscientiously in accordance with public sector values of impartiality and integrity". Deputy Ó Broin said that as a member of the Oireachtas Housing Committee he tabled an amendment to the then Planning and Development Bill to have the name of An Bord Pleanala retained but this was rejected by Government. Asked about staff's attitude to the name change, a spokesman for An Coimisiún Pleanála today said: "In terms of staff feeling on the name change, while there was some unhappiness about the changing of the name when it was first suggested in early 2023, now the name change has taken place, the staff and planning commissioners of the Commission have embraced and accepted the name change. He stated that "good developments are built on solid foundations and An Coimisiún Pleanála is built on the most solid of foundations which is down to the part played by all former staff and Board members who have served with An Bord Pleanála over the last 48 years". As part of the bid to reduce backlog in appeals, the number of senior planning inspectors at An Coimisiún Pleanála totals 60 at the end of June 2025 compared to 45 at the end of December 2023. The appeals board now has two Directors of Planning while the number of planning inspectors has reduced from 39 at the end of last year to 35 now though five new appointees are due to start in July and August. The most recent quarterly figures show that the number of cases on hand at the end of March this year was 1,369 which was down 878 or 39pc on the 2,247 cases on hand at the end of March 2024.
Dublin Live
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Dublin Live
Major boost for DART+ West project as legal challenges withdrawn
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Works for the Dart+ West project are now expected to begin next year after the withdrawal of two judicial reviews. The Railway Order for the project, which will expand the DART network to Maynooth/M3 Parkway, was approved by An Bord Pleanála in July 2024 but has been delayed due to the court action. An Bord Pleanála also approved a Railway Order for the DART+ South West - Hazelhatch to Heuston / Phoenix Park Tunnel - in November 2024. The DART+ will double the passenger capacity for rail services in the Greater Dublin Area, from 26,000 passenger journeys per direction per hour to 52,000. The DART network will increase from 50 kilometres to 150 kilometres, extending to Maynooth/M3 Parkway, Hazelhatch and Drogheda. Enabling works are expected to commence in 2026 for DART+ infrastructure. Contract awards are targeted for the end of 2026. In addition to the infrastructure development, 185 carriages have been ordered for the DART+ Fleet, with up to 750 in total possible under a framework contract with French fleet manufacturer Alstom. The first ten carriages, made up of two five-carriage trains, have been delivered, and have commenced the testing, commissioning and regulatory process, and are expected to begin entering service during 2026. Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
Irish Times
24-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on College Green redevelopment: the price is rising
It is hard to get past the magnitude of the new €80 million budget for the College Green Plaza. As with almost every other public infrastructure project undertaken in the State, if it had gone ahead when originally planned, it would have cost a fraction of the price. When Dublin City Council submitted an application for the traffic-free civic space to An Bord Pleanála in 2017 it expected it to cost €10 million. The board in 2018 rejected the council's plans, citing the potential 'significantly negative impacts' on bus services. The National Transport Authority (NTA) in September 2020 published its final plans for a redesigned bus network for the city. Under BusConnects, services would be routed away from College Green and east Dame Street. Two months later the council published new plans to double the size of the traffic free plaza. Eliminating the conflict with bus services meant traffic could be banned from the area west of the Luas lines in front of Trinity College, as far as the junction with Dame Street and South Great George's Street. READ MORE It took another two years for the council to announce that it was required under procurement rules to seek a new design team for the project due to increases in the scope of the scheme. The council now says it hopes to have preliminary designs, based on the 2020 enlarged plaza area, prepared by the end of this summer. The council and the NTA expect the bus services will finally have been rerouted from the area by the end of next year. Work, the council hopes, will start on site by the end of the following year, and will be completed by the end of the decade, all within a much pricier new budget of €80 million. That budget does include a surprisingly large 40 per cent contingency, but even if the council didn't eat into that contingency sum at all, the cost of the scheme would still be close to touching €50 million. Given the transformative effect this project could have, finally creating a civic space in the heart of Dublin city, perhaps that budget is justifiable, and in building such a large contingency into the budget, maybe the council is just being responsible and realistic. It is, after all, a larger area than planned eight years ago. All the same, the most significant benefits of the project would be realised anyway, even if the council was to spend little additional cash. Cars have already been banned from College Green, with buses to go by the end of next year. The area will, without the need for any other intervention, by default become the domain of pedestrians and cyclists. Some new paving and greenery, seating and toilets, would certainly improve it, but the heavy lifting of relocating the space from vehicles to people will have been achieved with minimal outlay. The detailed plans need to make a strong case if there is to be a further major expenditure.
