https://eireplan.com/blog How Ireland's planning system works in practice, written from the register. en-IE Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Ireland_Widens_Exempted_Development_Section_5_Cant_Count https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Ireland_Widens_Exempted_Development_Section_5_Cant_Count Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT The Government has approved a major expansion of exempted development under the Planning and Development Act 2024 - modular back-garden homes up to 45 m², larger extensions, attic conversions, subdivision. Yet the Section 5 system that decides what is and isn't exempt today produces no clean nationa https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Irelands_Empty_Buildings https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Irelands_Empty_Buildings Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT In the middle of a housing crisis, Ireland has tens of thousands of empty buildings. We examine the scale, barriers, and what it would take to bring them back into use. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Eireplan_SDG_Planning_Data_SRIN_2026_2028 https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Eireplan_SDG_Planning_Data_SRIN_2026_2028 Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT Evidence from a twelve-month analysis of the Eireplan Precedents Database. Exploratory research report submitted to the SRIN 2026-2028 programme, mapping how planning application records can be repurposed as a measurement surface for Sustainable Development Goal implementation in Ireland. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/What_If_Planners_Had_More_Time https://eireplan.com/blog/post/What_If_Planners_Had_More_Time Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT When administrative work is handled by AI, planning professionals face a deceptively complex question: what do they choose to do next? https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Beyond_The_Template https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Beyond_The_Template Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT A commentary on how AI is removing entry-level busywork and why firms must reinvent junior training, mentorship, and talent development for Gen Z. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/AI_Planning_Traceability https://eireplan.com/blog/post/AI_Planning_Traceability Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT As AI tools become more prevalent in planning, we explore the importance of traceability and the realities of planning work in Ireland. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Explainable_AI_in_Planning https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Explainable_AI_in_Planning Thu, 05 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT Explainable or Unusable: A Standard for AI in Planning Across professional services, AI is being sold as faster, smarter, and more transformative than any tool that came before it. In planning, law, https://eireplan.com/blog/post/From_Paper_Registers_To_Planning_Intelligence_What_The_US_Gets_Right https://eireplan.com/blog/post/From_Paper_Registers_To_Planning_Intelligence_What_The_US_Gets_Right Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT US planning systems are increasingly digital, yet fragmentation remains a challenge. We examine the US landscape and its lessons for Ireland. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Why_We_Are_Building_A_Planning_Knowledge_Engine https://eireplan.com/blog/post/Why_We_Are_Building_A_Planning_Knowledge_Engine Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT Eireplan is building a planning knowledge engine, not just another AI chatbot. Learn why context matters. https://eireplan.com/blog/post/How_The_UK_Uses_AI_To_Cut_Planning_Validation_Time https://eireplan.com/blog/post/How_The_UK_Uses_AI_To_Cut_Planning_Validation_Time Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT UK councils are using AI to cut planning validation times. We explore the evidence and what Ireland can learn from their approach.