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Appointment process for the Board

The Planning and Development Act, 2000 provides for the appointment of a Chairperson and other members of the Board. Board Members carry out their duties on a whole-time executive basis.

The Chairperson is appointed by the Government from a list of candidates selected by an independent committee in accordance with section 105 of the 2000 Act, chaired by the President of the High Court. The Government is generally required to make the appointment from among not more than three persons selected by that committee and found by them to be suitable for appointment. The Chairperson of the Board normally holds office for seven years and may be re-appointed for a second or subsequent term of office provided he or she is Chairperson at the time of the re-appointment.

The Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended provides for the appointment of nine other members of the Board. Eight of the members are appointed by the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government from among persons selected from four groups of organisations prescribed by regulations and representative of :

  • Professions or occupations that relate to physical planning, engineering and architecture. 
  • Organisations concerned with economic development, the promotion and carrying out of development, the provision of infrastructure or the development of land or otherwise connected  with the construction industry.
  • Organisations representative of local government, farming and trade unions. 
  • Organisations representative of persons concerned with the  protection and preservation of the environment and of amenities / voluntary bodies and bodies having charitable objects /rural and local community development, the promotion of the Irish language or the promotion of heritage, the arts and culture / bodies representative of people with disabilities / bodies representive of young people. 

The other member is appointed by the Minister from among persons who in the Minister's opinion have satisfactory experience, competence or qualifications as respects issues relating to the environment and sustainability. These members normally hold office for a term of five years and may be re-appointed for a second or subsequent term provided that the person concerned is an outgoing member at the time of the re-appointment. There are currently 5 ordinary members.