IPI Planners Podcast

The transition to evidence-informed, data-driven planning is a professional necessity, yet many local authorities still face significant challenges in integrating and interpreting spatial data to meet national objectives. 
The effective use of national data infrastructure, visualisation tools, and a new generation of digital skills is required to deliver complex housing, climate, and infrastructure projects across Ireland. This episode explores the power of spatial data, including insights from the National Census Atlas, data storytelling techniques for planners, and the emerging capabilities of Artificial Intelligence in the sector.
Joining host Sean O'Leary is Justin Gleeson, Director of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth University. With extensive experience in GIS and spatial analysis, Justin has spent years helping planners and policymakers leverage data, and was a long-standing Board Member of Ordnance Survey Ireland.
Guest Details
Justin Gleeson is the Director of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth University and Director of People and Place Limited, a planning analytics company, based in Clare, Galway and Maynooth. He is a key leader in the national data infrastructure of Ireland, with core skills in geographical information systems, spatial analysis, and improving public data usage. Justin also served as a Board Member of Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi) and is a current member of the Office of the Planning Regulator (OPR) National Planning Knowledge Group.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Integrating spatial data into plans
Housing delivery data gaps persist
Ireland’s changing demographic age profile
National data resources for planners
AI's new role in planning
QUOTES
Data is very much at the forefront. Even at government department level, or at local authority level, chief executives, they're expecting to see metrics. - Justin Gleeson
The most important thing is coming up with the idea of what's required, and that needs to come from the planning sector, whether it's senior planners or directors of services. - Justin Gleeson
Technology has changed so much in the last number of years... The ability to build these tools is no longer a problem because it's very straightforward. - Justin Gleeson 
Connect with the Irish Planning Institute:
Website: ipi.ie
Podfollow: podfollow.com/ipi
Search podcast player: "IPI Planners Podcast"
PODCAST HOST DETAILS
Dr. Sean O'Leary MIPI is a highly respected Senior Planner at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and a key voice in the field of Irish planning. 
With extensive experience and a deep understanding of planning policy and practice, Dr. O'Leary brings a wealth of knowledge to "The Planners' Podcast." 
Professionals and enthusiasts alike seek to navigate the complexities of urban and rural development in Ireland.
As a member of the Irish Planning Institute (MIPI), Dr. O'Leary demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of the planning profession. 
Find out more: https://ipi.ie/
ABOUT THE IRISH PLANNING INSTITUTE
The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) is the all-island professional body for planners in Ireland, dedicated to advancing the field of physical, spatial, and environmental planning for the common good. Established in 1975, the IPI plays a vital role in shaping sustainable development across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Through its diverse membership, which includes professionals from public, private, and academic sectors, the IPI offers a unified voice on critical planning issues.
Find out more:
https://ipi.ie/
The Planners Podcast is produced for IPI by dustpod.io
KEYWORDS
#SpatialData #IrishPlanning #GISforPlanners #HousingSupply #InfraData

The Irish planning system is navigating one of its most transformative periods, requiring professionals to rapidly implement complex legislative, policy, and institutional changes while tackling the urgent national housing and infrastructure crises. A managed, plan-led transition is essential to maintain a stable, functioning system as the new Planning and Development Act is rolled out alongside aggressive government housing targets.
This episode delves into the practical realities of implementing the Planning and Development Act 2024, the government's focus on residential zoning and judicial review, the new National Planning Statements for critical infrastructure and housing, and the expanding influence of EU policy as Ireland prepares for its 2026 Presidency.
Joining host Dr. Sean O’Leary is Claragh Mulhern, Principal Planning Advisor in the Planning Division at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. With nearly 20 years of experience in both Irish and UK local government, including 11 years with Westminster City Council, Claragh has a central role in preparing and overseeing national planning policy.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Claragh's planning journey and influences.
Phased rollout of the Planning Act 2024.
The urgency of residential zoning updates
Planning's role in critical infrastructure delivery.
Balancing public interest with system efficiency.
QUOTES
It's a consistent approach to decision making, not consistent decisions, you know. - Claragh Mulhern 
We all, I think, need to acknowledge that everything is changing, and we also need to be willing to change and adapt and look at areas for improvement, innovation in efficiency. - Claragh Mulhern 
And it's really, I suppose, that the importance of bringing all of the stakeholders together in a very coordinated approach that looks at prioritising, you know, what is the scale of ambition in these locations and what's required in order to deliver it? - Claragh Mulhern 
GUEST DETAILS
Claragh Mulhern is the Principal Adviser in the Planning Division at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, having worked there since 2019. Previously, she worked in the local government sector in the U.K. for 15 years, including 11 years at Westminster City Council in Central London. Claragh has extensive experience in the preparation of national planning policy, including the National Planning Framework, and advising on Government policy in relation to housing and renewable energy development. She is a Registered Member of the Irish Planning Institute.
Connect with the Irish Planning Institute:
Website: ipi.ie
Podfollow: podfollow.com/ipi
Search podcast player: "IPI Planners Podcast"
PODCAST HOST DETAILS
Dr. Sean O'Leary MIPI is a highly respected Senior Planner at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and a key voice in the field of Irish planning. 
With extensive experience and a deep understanding of planning policy and practice, Dr. O'Leary brings a wealth of knowledge to "The Planners' Podcast." 
Professionals and enthusiasts alike seek to navigate the complexities of urban and rural development in Ireland.
As a member of the Irish Planning Institute (MIPI), Dr. O'Leary demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of the planning profession. 
Find out more: https://ipi.ie/
ABOUT THE IRISH PLANNING INSTITUTE
The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) is the all-island professional body for planners in Ireland, dedicated to advancing the field of physical, spatial, and environmental planning for the common good. Established in 1975, the IPI plays a vital role in shaping sustainable development across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Through its diverse membership, which includes professionals from public, private, and academic sectors, the IPI offers a unified voice on critical planning issues.

The Planners Podcast is produced for IPI by dustpod.io

KEYWORDS
#PlanningAct2024 #IrishPlanning #HousingSupply #CriticalInfrastructure #EUPresidency

December 2025 marks end of year celebrating Irish Planning Institute's 50th anniversary since founding in 1975 whilst also seeing the conclusion of the current Council term with a range of governance changes including the election of a reshaped Board of Directors.

Gavin Lawlor, completing two year term as IPI President and Director at Tom Phillips Associates with extensive experience in development plans, quarrying, wind farms and Bord Pleanála oral hearings, alongside Philip Jones, past IPI President serving 26 and a quarter years on Council including seven Presidents as Honorary Secretary with 41 year public sector career from Waterford City Council through Kildare County Council to Bord Pleanála senior planning inspector, assistant director and board member, explain why the housing crisis narrative unfairly scapegoats planners whilst media seeks opposing views rather than balanced explanations.  

They also discuss how the 2024 Planning and Development Act 2024 requires practical stress testing with practitioners – the planners who have to implement the new legislation, and who are represented by the IPI - before Regulations commence, thereby avoiding history repeating itself with amendments before proper enactment.  Internally within the Institute, they outline how governance changes, modernising its original 1982 structure, has represented a Herculean task.  They also discuss some significant resourcing achievements during the last two years, including securing planners on the Government’s critical skills list and successfully removing a 2011 Departmental circular that required experienced planners to start at the bottom of local authority salary grades.

With expertise spanning development control, climate change adaptation, flood plains zoning restrictions and relationship maturation between IPI and RTPI establishing proper respect for Irish planners' capabilities, the discussion covers the Grafton Street pedestrianisation campaign against major stores and roads department opposition, the Flood Tribunal era demonstrating that no planners were identified for corruption, unlike councillors and senior administrators, and why climate change represents the single biggest challenge beyond housing. 

QUOTES

“It's down to housing, housing and more housing and everything that facilitates or interferes with the ability to be able to deliver housing”. - Gavin Lawlor

“Planning is social, there's a bit of geography in it and everybody has an opinion about where they live. Everybody has a pair of eyes and a pair of ears and a very large mouth that they can use to express their views and they're entitled to do so.” - Gavin Lawlor

“We don't have a vested interest as planners, we just want the planning system to work for our citizens rather than for certain stakeholders who have vested interests and are currently knocking on the doors of Government.”- Philip Jones

“People coming onto the Board of the IPI will be able to give something back – after all it is a profession - and they should support their own profession, and contribute their views and perspectives, whatever they may be, to the future development of the Institute”. - Philip Jones

“The biggest challenge out there isn’t housing, it isn’t resourcing, it’s climate change, and planners have a huge role to play in that.  Planning can really make a difference. Into the future” - Philip Jones

About the Guests

Philip Jones FIPI studied Geography at TCD at Bachelor’s level, before going on to the Masters in Regional and Urban Planning in UCD.  Across his career, he worked in local government for 19 years and in An Bord Pleanála for 21 years.  A Corporate Member since 1983, and a Fellow since 2008, he joined the Council of the Irish Planning Institute in 1986, serving as a co-opted member until 1989, after which he was elected on many occasions.  He has served as Hon. Secretary to no less than seven IPI Presidents, and was himself elected President for a two-year term from 1999 to 2001.  Most recently he is serving as Hon. Secretary from January 2024 to December 2025.

Gavin Lawlor MIPI is President of the Irish Planning Institute 2024-2025. Gavin has worked in planning for almost 30 years and is a Director at Tom Phillips + Associates. Gavin's expertise covers a wide range of areas and he has extensive knowledge across the industrial, energy and waste management sectors. He obtained a Masters in Regional and Urban Planning from UCD having graduated with a Bachelors degree in Social Science at the Belfield Campus.

Connect with the Irish Planning Institute:
Website: ipi.ie
Podfollow: podfollow.com/ipi
Search podcast player: "IPI Planners Podcast"

PODCAST HOST DETAILS

Dr. Sean O'Leary MIPI is a highly respected Senior Planner at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and a key voice in the field of Irish planning. 
With extensive experience and a deep understanding of planning policy and practice, Dr. O'Leary brings a wealth of knowledge to "The Planners' Podcast." 
Professionals and enthusiasts alike seek to navigate the complexities of urban and rural development in Ireland.
As a member of the Irish Planning Institute (MIPI), Dr. O'Leary demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of the planning profession. 
Find out more: https://ipi.ie/

ABOUT THE IRISH PLANNING INSTITUTE

The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) is the all-island professional body for planners in Ireland, dedicated to advancing the field of physical, spatial, and environmental planning for the common good. Established in 1975, the IPI plays a vital role in shaping sustainable development across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Through its diverse membership, which includes professionals from public, private, and academic sectors, the IPI offers a unified voice on critical planning issues.
Find out more:
https://ipi.ie/

The Planners Podcast is produced for IPI by dustpod.io

KEYWORDS
#IrishPlanningInstitute #PlanningProfession #HousingCrisis #ClimateChangePlanning #GovernanceReform

Kildare County Council manages nearly 50 settlements whilst doing some of Ireland's "heavy lifting" on housing delivery—but how do you scale that up when planning legislation transforms around you? 
Amy Granville, Senior Planner leading forward planning and heritage, reveals how a 100-person team including Kildare County Council’s first ecologist and urban designer, tackles revised NPF targets through 290-hectare master plans, joint local area plans with neighbouring counties, and heritage-led regeneration. 
From navigating the Planning and Development Act 2024's transition to winning IPI Planning Authority of the Year, discover what makes Kildare "best in class" and why planners are quietly working across every corner of housing development and infrastructure delivery.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
How Kildare County Council expanded from traditional planning roles to 100-person team 
Why the revised NPF targets require creative measures including a 290-hectare master plan area in Naas
How the joint Maynooth and Environs Local Area Plan with Meath County Council navigated two different planning teams and Council Chambers.
Why the Planning and Development Act 2024's 10-year development plan horizon provides genuine opportunity for delivery
How Kildare's graduate planner programme captures local talent 

GUEST DETAILS
Amy Granville is Senior Planner at Kildare County Council, leading forward planning and heritage for a county with nearly 50 settlements. 
A proud 2005 graduate from DIT's (now TU Dublin) first undergraduate spatial planning and environmental management class, Amy always knew she wanted public service—beginning in Kilkenny County Council before moving to South Tipperary where she experienced the 2014 local authority merger. Joining Kildare in 2016, Amy has been one of the planners overseeing the county's "best in class" housing delivery whilst balancing rural character with metropolitan pressures. 
Under her leadership, Kildare's planning team won Irish Planning Institute's Planning Authority of the Year 2025, was shortlisted in four categories, and delivered transformative projects from the Potato Market regeneration to 50-acre carbon sinks. 
Despite living in Kilkenny, Amy considers herself a "de facto Lily White" after nearly a decade shaping one of Ireland's most complex and dynamic counties.

 QUOTES

I think the master planning approach will be really, really, really significant over the next number of years. - Amy Granville
 Kildare has done an awful lot of the heavy lifting in terms of housing delivery. We like to say we're best in class in terms of housing completions. - Amy Granville
What works well in Irish planning is the planners. We're such an intrinsic part of so many things now  - Amy Granville

PODCAST HOST DETAILS

Dr. Sean O'Leary MIPI is a highly respected Senior Planner at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and a key voice in the field of Irish planning. 

With extensive experience and a deep understanding of planning policy and practice, Dr. O'Leary brings a wealth of knowledge to "The Planners' Podcast." 
Professionals and enthusiasts alike seek to navigate the complexities of urban and rural development in Ireland.

As a member of the Irish Planning Institute (MIPI), Dr. O'Leary demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of the planning profession. 
Find out more: https://ipi.ie/

ABOUT THE IRISH PLANNING INSTITUTE

The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) is the all-island professional body for planners in Ireland, dedicated to advancing the field of physical, spatial, and environmental planning for the common good. Established in 1975, the IPI plays a vital role in shaping sustainable development across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Through its diverse membership, which includes professionals from public, private, and academic sectors, the IPI offers a unified voice on critical planning issues.
Find out more:
https://ipi.ie/
The Planners Podcast is produced for IPI by dustpod.io

KEYWORDS

#localauthorityplanning #masterplanning #urbanevelopmentzones #graduateplanners #irishplanninginstitute

Are you frustrated by delays in crucial climate action and infrastructure delivery? Planning and other consenting processes don't always align and run up against our urgent net-zero targets, leaving developers, communities, and environmentalists at loggerheads over how to balance environmental protection with climate emergency responses in ways that often come to a head in the planning system.
 
Imagine a streamlined consenting system where environmental protection and renewable energy development work hand in hand from day one. Picture projects that move efficiently through planning while actually enhancing biodiversity, creating win-win outcomes that accelerate Ireland's clean energy transition without compromising the natural environment you want to protect.
 
Pamela Harty from MKO, one of Ireland's leading planning and environmental consultancy with over 220 specialists across Galway and Dublin offices, has the insider knowledge on navigating these complex challenges.
 
Her team works directly with the intersection of ecology, planning law, and renewable development, giving her unique insights into recent legislative changes like the Planning and Development Act 2024 and the resource challenges facing statutory bodies like NPWS that directly impact your projects.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Ireland's renewable and housing targets clash 
Early ecologist integration prevents project delays 
Speed vs. robust environmental assessment balance 
Planning Development Act 2024 impacts 
Housing project challenges and opportunities 
Developing junior planners at MKO
GUEST DETAILS
Pamela Harty is a Project Director with over 14 years of experience in both private practice and local authorities. Pamela leads the Housing and Public Infrastructure team within MKO. A chartered member of both the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Pamela has project managed a range of strategy and development projects across Ireland and the UK. 
Pamela has extensive experience in strategic planning, regeneration, residential development, statutory plan preparation, environmental impact assessment, community engagement, urban design and masterplanning. Within MKO, Pamela plays a prominent role in the management and confidence building of junior staff members.

QUOTES
Nature doesn’t recognize boundaries. Think beyond your red line. – Pamela Harty
Get ecologists involved early. Shape design from day one . – Pamela Harty
A planner’s main skill? Being a good communicator. – Pamela Harty
Planning and Development Act 2024: 25+ years’ biggest overhaul, streamlines planning with mandatory decision times for consenting bodies. – Pamela Hardy
One of the key challenges is keeping environmental assessments meaningful rather than just a tick box exercise at the end of the process. – Pamela Harty

PODCAST HOST DETAILS
Dr. Sean O'Leary MIPI is a highly respected Senior Planner at the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) and a key voice in the field of Irish planning. 
With extensive experience and a deep understanding of planning policy and practice, Dr. O'Leary brings a wealth of knowledge to "The Planners' Podcast." 
Professionals and enthusiasts alike seeking to navigate the complexities of urban and rural development in Ireland.
As a member of the Irish Planning Institute (MIPI), Dr. O'Leary demonstrates a commitment to the highest standards of the planning profession. 
Find out more: https://ipi.ie/

ABOUT THE IRISH PLANNING INSTITUTE
The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) is the all-island professional body for planners in Ireland, dedicated to advancing the field of physical, spatial, and environmental planning for the common good. Established in 1975, the IPI plays a vital role in shaping sustainable development across both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Through its diverse membership, which includes professionals from public, private, and academic sectors, the IPI offers a unified voice on critical planning issues.
KEYWORDS
#Renewable Energy Targets #Housing Delivery #Environmental Assessments #Planning and Development Act 2024 #Planning Resource Challenges