Mayor urges stronger planning enforcement

Planning enforcement must be more than “just a paper exercise,” the mayor, Cllr Cllr Mick Dollard, told the July meeting of the Municipal District of Mullingar-Kinnegad, as he called for additional staff to be allocated to ensure regulations are properly upheld.

Responding, the Planning Section outlined ongoing progress in the area. So far in 2025, the Planning Enforcement Team has received 47 complaints and inspected 40 sites within the recommended six-week period, an adherence to best practice timelines.

Of those, 24 cases have been closed, an improvement on 2024 figures. Five warning letters have been issued to landowners or developers involved in unauthorised development and who failed to engage with the planning authority. Two enforcement notices have been served, and two prosecutions have been initiated in cases of continued non-compliance.

The Planning Section highlighted that early engagement with landowners is a key strategy, aiming to bring unauthorised developments into compliance before formal action is required. That approach allows for resolution without the need for warning letters.

In addition to enforcement duties, the team also handles the ‘Taking in Charge’ process, which involves negotiating with developers and coordinating with internal departments such as Transportation and external bodies like Uisce Éireann. This work, the council said, plays a critical role in preventing unauthorised development in large-scale projects.

To further strengthen planning enforcement, the Planning Department has launched a recruitment campaign to secure additional personnel and increase capacity in this area.