Judicial Review Notice

Judicial review of An Bord Pleanála decisions under the provisions of the Planning and Development Acts (as amended).

A person wishing to challenge the validity of a Board decision may do so by way of judicial review only. Sections 50, 50A and 50B of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, contain provisions in relation to challenges to the validity of a decision of the Board. The validity of a decision taken by the Board may only be questioned by making an application for judicial review under Order 84 of The Rules of the Superior Courts (S.I. No. 15 of 1986). Sub-section 50(6) of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires that any application for leave to apply for judicial review must be made within 8 weeks of the date of the decision of the Board, save for decisions made pursuant to a function transferred to the Board under Part XIV of the Planning and Development Act 2000, where any application for leave to apply for judicial review must, as set out in sub-section 50(7), be made within 8 weeks beginning on the date on which notice of the decision of the Board was first sent (or as may be the requirement under the relevant enactment, functions under which are transferred to the Board, was first published). These time periods are subject to any extension which may be allowed by the High Court in accordance with sub-section 50(8).

Section 50A(3) states that leave for judicial review shall not be granted unless the Court is satisfied that (a)there are substantial grounds for contending that the decision is invalid or ought to be quashed and (b) the applicant has a sufficient interest in the matter which is the subject of the application or in cases involving environmental impact assessment is a body complying with specified criteria.

Section 50B contains provisions in relation to the costs of certain judicial review proceedings in the High Court; pursuant to Section 50B(1), Section 50B applies to the following proceedings:

(a) proceedings in the High Court by way of judicial review, or of seeking leave to apply for judicial review, of—
(i) any decision or purported decision made or purportedly made,
(ii) any action taken or purportedly taken,
(iii) any failure to take any action, pursuant to a statutory provision that gives effect to

a provision of the EIA Directive 85/337/EEC as amended to which Article 10a (as inserted by Directive 2003/35/EC) of that Directive applies,
the SEA Directive 2001/42/EC, or
a provision of the IPPC Directive 2008/1/EC to which Article 16 of that Directive applies, or
Article 6(3) or 6(4) of the Habitats Directive; or

(b) an appeal (including an appeal by way of case stated) to the Supreme Court from a decision of the High Court in a proceeding referred to in paragraph (a);

(c) proceedings in the High Court or the Supreme Court for interim or interlocutory relief in relation to a proceeding referred to in paragraph (a) or (b).

The general provision contained in section 50B(2) is that in proceedings to which the section applies each party shall bear its own costs. The Court however may award costs against any party in specified circumstances. There is also provision for the Court to award the costs of proceedings or a portion of such costs to an applicant, to the extent that the applicant succeeds in obtaining relief, against a respondent or notice party, or both, to the extent that the action or omission of the respondent or notice party contributed to the relief being obtained.

General information on judicial review procedures is contained on the following website, www.citizensinformation.ie.

Disclaimer: The above is intended for information purposes. It does not purport to be a legally binding interpretation of the relevant provisions and it would be advisable for persons contemplating legal action to seek legal advice.

Judicial Review Notice

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