ABSTRACT
Planning in Ireland is based on laws that are deceptively similar to those of England and Wales, but there are in fact a number of distinctive features. Modern attempts to establish a statutory planning system to regulate development date from 1934, when the Town and Regional Planning Act were passed. The Irish local government structure has been little changed since Ireland achieved independence in 1922. In particular, the Housing Act 1969 overlaps the planning Acts in a number of important matters. The Roads and Motorways Act 1974 also has impact on the basic, planning law. The operation of the planning Acts and all building control is vested in local authorities. Every planning authority has made a development plan. The operation of the planning code is based on sections of the 1963 Act. The Planning Act 1976 provided new procedures and removed some of the constraints on district court actions.
