ieExplains: Will the new national planning framework really help resolve the housing crisis? (2025)

But what exactly is thenational planning framework, and how will it impact on Ireland’s ability to deliver the hundreds of thousands of homes that are needed to solve the longstanding housing crisis?

What is the National Planning Framework?

The framework document itself is described as the Government’s “high-level strategic plan for shaping the future growth and development of our country” out to 2040.

The national planning frameworkhad been under review since mid-2023, with the new document setting out the expected growth of Ireland’s population out to 2040. This is expected to be between 6.1m and 6.3m.

The plan itself will provide the policy and planning approach to dealing with an increased population, with new targets on housing, infrastructure and services across the country.

It will call for 50% of future development to take place across Ireland’s five main cities – Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford – while the remaining 50% will need to be spread across villages, towns and rural areas around the country.

What are the new housing targets?

As outlined in the national planning frameworkand agreed in November 2024, the overall target for housing delivery between 2025 and 2030 is 303,000 houses.

This means to achieve this target, there will need to be an average of 50,500 houses built each year.

However, there is a more gradual ramp up over the years ahead, with a target of 41,000 for 2025.

This will then grow to 43,000 in 2026, 48,000 in 2027, 53,000 in 2028, 58,000 in 2029 and 60,000 in 2030.

Concerns have been raised by industry experts that Ireland could fall well below the 2025 target, with it possibly falling as low as 25,000 by the end of the year.

However, housing minister James Browne has cast doubt on these figures, saying it is too early to predict final output for 2025.

What does it mean for local authorities?

Mr Browne has said he will introduce a ministerial order instructing all local authorities to reopen their local development plans.

This will mean that changes will be made to existing plans, which essentially set out how councils areas will develop over a six-year period.

The main ask under the newnational planning framework, however, is the zoning of more land for residential development.

This will require councils to integrate the new housing targets into their local plans.

However, councils will be asked to prioritise development on brownfield sites in towns and cities, to avoid urban sprawl into the countryside.

Will this provide more land for housing development?

It’s likely that it will, with a direct order from James Browne under new the new Planning and Development Act.

These Section 28 orders will allow Mr Browne to directly order councils to focus on zoning land for housing.

However, with some local authorities like Louth County Council opting in recent weeks to dezone land earmarked for housing, it could be difficult to convince councillors to significantly expand zoning.

Will it lead to more housing being built?

It’s hard to say exactly.

It will likely lead to increase supply of zoned development land, which has been sought by housebuilders across the country.

But other issues exist alongside this, including difficulties in getting land access to electricity, water and wastewater services, which are vital for housing.

At a housebuilding conference on Tuesday, Paul Carroll, who is the director of housing and community development at Fingal County Council, told attendees that his own local authority was working “at or close to capacity in terms of what we can deliver”.

Sinn Féin’s housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin has said that thenational planning frameworkitself underestimates the housing need, saying the new targets are not high enough.

He also flagged concerns about land zoning, citing the fact the Government is itself unaware of exactly how much land is zoned for residential development.

•You can read the draft first revision to the national planning framework at NPF.ie.