The State’s planning regulator could be facing an overhaul with plans to review the organisation set to go to Cabinet on Tuesday.
The Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) was set up in 2019 to undertake planning reviews and examinations as well as evaluate statutory plans – but some in Government fear its decisions are holding back development.
With one review already under way, Minister for Housing James Browne is to seek Cabinet approval to undertake a second review looking at the relevance of the original purpose of the OPR to the planning system.
It will also look at how its functions are aligned to housing and infrastructure delivery and assess the compatibility of its regulatory role with other functions it carries out, as well as the optimal use of the resources it has in supporting planning objectives and the wider planning system.
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A Government source said the review would also look at the extent to which change might be needed to enable delivery of housing and other critical infrastructure, with Minister for Public Expenditure and Infrastructure Jack Chambers said to be pushing for the review.
Both Chambers and Browne are understood to be frustrated at the speed of planning. Chambers will also bring two circulars to Cabinet aimed at speeding up critical infrastructure delivery.
Elsewhere, Minister for Culture Patrick O’Donovan will seek approval to appoint GAA executive Peter McKenna as chair of the National Concert Hall.
McKenna, who is stadium director at Croke Park, is already a board member at the NCH and would take over from outgoing chair Maura McGrath, who is also chair of the Arts Council.
O’Donovan is also going to update the Government on property transfers from the Digital Hub Development Agency to the Land Development Agency.
Minister for Higher Education James Lawless will bring the national student accommodation strategy to Cabinet.
Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke is to remove provisions in law which prevent State agencies from investing in Irish firms in the defence sector without first securing Government approval.
The Longford-Westmeath TD is to seek approval to delete a section of the Science and Technology Act 1987, with Burke likely to make the case that the provision is outdated due to close overlaps between defence and areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and space systems where Irish companies are operating.
He will also bring updates on the Government’s semiconductor strategy and a new advisory council being formed in the area, as well as proposals around commitments the Coalition has made on “next generation” sites in the sector.
With the Cabinet set to approve a range of interventions to alleviate cost-of-living pressures brought on by the outbreak of war in the Gulf region, Minister for Finance Simon Harris will also update his colleagues on the plan for the national economic dialogue planned for June.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee will update the Cabinet on plans for the European Union presidency, and crisis planning including the consular response to the conflict in the Middle East.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will deliver an update on the UK-Ireland government summit held in Cork earlier this month.
