Tipperary councillors call for planning exemptions for IPAS centres to be changed

Councillors in Tipperary have passed a motion asking for the council to write to housing Minister James Browne, asking for the Department to reduce the duration of the current exemption that allows temporary change of use to building structures to accommodate people seeking international protection.

Cllr Liam Browne tabled the motion at Tipperary County Council’s monthly meeting this October. The motion asks that the council writes to Minister Browne and ask that the duration of this exemption change from 31 December 2028, to 31 December 2025 instead.

A similar motion was also passed by councillors in Laois County Council at the beginning of this month.

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Cllr Browne explained that while the exemption was introduced as an urgent emergency measure to home people seeking international protection, its extended duration has created serious concerns around planning transparency.

“There’s two different sets of rules that apply, depending on the intended use of a building. I don’t think that can go on much longer,” explained Cllr Browne.

“Having two different planning systems, one with IPAS accommodation and one with normal accommodation. It fuels misinformation, it creates public anxiety and puts undue stress on property owners, all because the planning system is no longer predictable or transparent.

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“Bringing forward the extension period to 2025 will restore consistency and ensure that all developments, regardless of its purpose, are subject to the same standards of public scrutiny. This is not about opposing humanitarian efforts for which the reason this exemption was put in, in the first place. But the extension in 2023 of four years from 2024 to 2028, is too long. We have to ensure that people know how the planning system works,” said Cllr Browne.

Cllr Browne’s motion was seconded by Independent Cllr Máirín McGrath who said that “The exemption as it currently stands is unfair, it allows for an air of secrecy into the planning system.

Independent Cllr Seamie Morris also seconded the motion saying that it was unfortunate that Ireland has a parallel planning process.

A letter on behalf of Tipperary County Council will now be issued to Minister James Browne.