Incoming Taoiseach, Simon Harris, should “prioritise” rural housing planning guidelines to enable sons and daughters of farmers to live on their own family land, a senator has urged.
Senator Victor Boyhan said currently “unreasonable policy decisions and a lack of progressive rural planning guidelines” are preventing family members from developing new housing on rural sites.
The senator has called on the Government to urgently address the issue of one-off housing for young families “before it’s too late”.
He said while he fully appreciates and supports the importance of protecting rural landscapes and meeting environmental obligations it is also important for all parties in government to “work collaboratively” to develop new rural housing options.
Senator Boyhan added: “The Government has at best nine months term of office left, yet despite many promises for a fair and progressive approach to rural housing policy, it still has not published the new rural housing guidelines that would support eco-friendly and sustainable one-off house for those seeking to live of family lands”.
“I am calling on the incoming Taoiseach to prioritise new rural housing guidelines so that a degree of certainty, clarity and understanding about the possibilities of young families and young couples exploring the options of either restoring old farm homesteads or looking to build new homes for themselves in the rural communities that they have connections to.”
He said because his constituency is Wicklow Minister Simon Harris should “fully understand” the issues that many of his constituents may be facing in relation to securing planning permission to build a home on land that is owned by their families.
Rural housing
According to latest figures published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) there was a 27% drop in the number of one-off houses that secured planning permission in 2023 compared to a year earlier.
These figures show there were a total of 5,032 one-off houses granted planning permission in 2023 compared to 6,924 in 2022.
Senator Boyhan believes that currently right across rural Ireland “obstacles are being put in the way for people wanting to build a sustainable one-off house”.
“This has to be challenged and policies put in place to address any concerns or impediments – a blanket ban can no longer be tolerated.
“I am a strong advocate for sustainable rural housing policy which encourages young people to either stay or return to their rural roots and communities, new homes and new families will ensure a viable and supportive future for rural Ireland,” the senator added.