Role of the Committee

The Law Society’s Environmental and Planning Law Committee comprises solicitors experienced in environmental and planning law. The Committee monitors developments in relation to law reform or legislative proposals in the area of environmental and planning law: The objectives of the Committee are to:

1. assist the Law Society in its interventions undertaken in relation to law reform or legislative proposals in the area of environmental and planning law;
2. provide expert knowledge and guidance in relation to the body of environmental and planning law and its complexity and acting as a reference point for the Society and the Council on environmental and planning law matters;
3. cooperate with and assisting other committees/task forces on horizontal environmental and planning law matters and issues cutting across different areas of law; and
4. prepare submissions, statements and observations on environmental and planning law matters which are balanced, principles-based, and compliant with the Society’s policy development and communication processes.

Members and Secretary

Chair: Danielle Conaghan

Vice Chair: Brendan Curran

Members

• Eoin Brady
• Rory Ferguson
• Niall Hayes
• Andrew Jackson
• Nap Keeling
• Rachel Minch SC
• Margaret O’Leary
• Elaine Oonan
• Zoe Richardson
• Fergal Ruane
• Gabriel Toolan

Secretary: Clare Tarpey

Current issues

Current issues on the Committee's agenda include:

The Environmental and Planning Law Committee endeavours to monitor all developments in relation to law reform or legislative proposals in the area of environmental and planning law.

1. Submission in relation to pre-legislative scrutiny of the Draft Planning and Development Bill 2022: Representatives of the Environmental and Planning Law Committee appeared in front of the Joint Committee for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on 2 March 2023. Read the Environmental and Planning Law Committee’s Opening Statement
   • The full video of the hearing is available from the Oireachtas website

Contact Us

Please email any queries to the Committee Secretary, Clare Tarpey.