1960. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the person or body responsible for the implementation of Irish language signs on housing estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63680/26]

Responsibility for requiring Irish-language signage in a housing development rests in the first instance with the relevant planning authority through its development plan policies and planning conditions, while responsibility for implementing and providing the signage rests with the developer in accordance with the terms of the planning permission.

The naming, numbering and signage of residential developments is carried out by means of a planning authority attaching conditions to a grant of planning permission, in accordance with the requirements of Section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended.

As provided for by Section 34(1) where an application is made to a planning authority in accordance with the relevant requirements, the planning authority may decide to grant the permission subject to or without conditions, or to refuse it. Section 34(4) of the 2000 Act states that conditions under Section 34(1) may include:

“conditions in relation to appropriate naming and numbering of, and the provision of appropriate signage for, the proposed development” [(section 34(4)(o)].

Section 34(2)(a) states that when making its decision in relation to an application under this section, the planning authority is required to have regard to (amongst other things), the provisions of the development plan.

Section 34(5) addresses situations where conditions under Section 34(1) require points of detail relating to a grant of permission to be agreed between the planning authority and the person carrying out the development.

On the basis of the foregoing, it can be seen that the Planning and Development Act allows for planning authorities to impose a condition on a planning permission for a new development requiring the applicant to either name and number and provide signage for the development as specified, or to require the applicant to engage with the planning authority to agree such details prior to the commencement of the development.

Should the development plan include an objective relating to the naming, numbering and signage of new developments (including any requirement to use the Irish language), the planning authority is required to have regard to that objective in making its decision.

The particular process for agreeing a particular naming, numbering and signage approach for a development (including Irish language requirements) will depend on the organisational structures and protocols of a planning authority, and whether there is a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area, as designated under the Gaeltacht Act 2012, within the functional area of that planning authority.

It should be noted that the provisions of Section 34 of the 2000 Planning and Development Act referred to above are due to be repealed and replaced by Sections 86 and 87 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 upon commencement of Part 4 of this Act later this year. These new sections largely mirror the approach set out the relevant subsections of Section 34 of the 2000 Act as set out above.