Donegal County Council agrees to new Letterkenny McDonald’s amendment
Amendment permitted to extend opening hours on approved Port Road facility
Donegal County Council granted planning permission for a new McDonald's restaurant in Letterkenny to extend its opening hours by three hours.
McDonald’s Restaurant of Ireland Ltd submitted an application to Donegal County Council in July regarding their planned Port Road restaurant to amend a condition of a previously granted planning permission to allow for an extension of three hours to the permitted hours of operation, including any deliveries or associated services, from the permitted 8am-11pm hours to the proposed 6am to midnight hours, each day.
In a planning statement submitted by Downey, on behalf of McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland Ltd, it was stated: “It is common for such drive-thru restaurants operated by McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland to close at 00:00 across the country.
“McDonald’s Restaurants of Ireland operate a large portfolio of restaurants nationwide, with many restaurants and drive-thru restaurants operating later, as well as some operating 24-hours.
“The applicant notes that the site surroundings are predominantly commercial in nature, with a variety of businesses and retail in the immediate surrounding area.
“As such, there is limited residential amenity within the surrounding areas which could be impacted.
“It is therefore submitted that the proposed extension of the hours of operation to 06:00-00:00 can be considered reasonable and acceptable at this location.”
The document gave another Letterkenny McDonald’s premises, at Letterkenny Retail Park, as an example for why the opening hours should be extended at Port Road, as a store which operates from 7am until midnight Sunday to Thursday, and “recently has begun successfully operating with extended hours.”
Donegal County Council approved the application, with conditions that extended the opening hours of the Port Road premises, and that the development should continue only with the approved conditions of the previously successful planning application except for the permitted amendment.
The Port Road McDonald’s Restaurant proposal was subject to an appeal, ruled on in February, when An Coimisíun Pleanála upheld Donegal County Council’s August 2025 decision to grant permission for the proposal, and dismiss an appeal from a local businessperson.
An Coimisíun Pleanála Planning Inspector for the case, Matthew O’Connor wrote at the time: “The proposed development would not seriously injure the visual amenities of the area, and would be acceptable in terms of traffic safety and convenience.
“The proposed development would, therefore, be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area.”