The OPR published its review of Galway County Council’s planning department today (24th February 2026). The review found that the majority of Galway County Council’s planning functions are being delivered satisfactorily, with some areas of good practice that could provide an example to the wider planning system.
With a distinctive natural environment, wealth of protected natural sites and the country’s most significant Gaeltacht area, Galway County Council’s planning department operates in a unique and complex environment while facing similar resourcing pressures as experienced by local authorities across the country.
The OPR’s report considers the Council’s performance across a range of planning functions and makes 13 recommendations to enhance the delivery of planning services. A number of areas of good practice were also identified, including the Council’s online system for dealing with pre-planning enquiries and its approach to dealing with outdoor dining licenses.
By identifying where services can be enhanced and providing a mechanism for knowledge sharing on good planning practices, the review of Galway County Council represents an important contribution to the OPR’s work of driving improvements in the delivery of planning services to the public.
Commenting on areas of best practice, the Office noted:
“The emphasis that the Council places on providing quality services to its customers is evident, for example, through its innovative, online pre-planning enquiries system which is providing a quality service to the public while delivering efficiencies for the department.”
“The department’s effective approach to handling Section 254 outdoor dining licences provides further demonstration of the department’s willingness to development innovative solutions that work for stakeholders.”
Commenting on the need for plan-led, sustainable development, the Office noted:
“While the Council has been effective in delivering its forward planning programme, there is an opportunity to build on this experience through development of more formalised procedures and a more structured approach for the monitoring of the implementation of development plan objectives.”
“Coordinated and timely delivery of housing is a critical foundation of an effective planning and development process. As is the situation nationally, planning in Galway County must contribute towards meeting housing demand, aligned with the principles of sustainable development, climate action and the integration of land use with sustainable modes of transportation.”
“The issue of planning enforcement in County Galway is also of critical concern and the Council must make a greater investment across the board to ensure that the planning control system works properly, for the benefit of the whole community.”
The recommendations outlined in the review provide a pathway for the Council to ensure ongoing success in the delivery of planning services and to position the department to tackle the range of challenges it must respond to in the coming years.
This review of Galway County Council is the tenth such review published by the OPR to date. In carrying out these reviews, the OPR strives to ensure effective, efficient and consistent planning services, contributing to our overall goal of ensuring that Ireland develops sustainably while protecting our environment and enhancing our communities.