Minister Cummins welcomes approval of ‘Town Planning Officer’ addition to the Critical Skills Occupations List
- Published on: 10 March 2025
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
The Minister of State for Planning and Local Government, John Cummins, has today welcomed the approval of ‘Town Planning Officer’ being added to the Critical Skills Occupation List following his department’s detailed submission to the Economic Migration Policy Unit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Today’s news follows the publication yesterday of the government’s comprehensive Implementation Plan for the Planning and Development Act 2024.
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage made a joint submission with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Irish Planning Institute to request the inclusion of the occupation ‘Town Planning Officer’ on the Critical Skills Occupations List.
Minister Cummins today emphasised:
”This government recognises that the demands on the planning system have grown significantly in recent times and continues to grow.
“The planning system underpins the delivery of many public policy, societal, economic and environmental objectives in Ireland.
“If we are to accelerate homebuilding to the levels we need and deliver on other critical government objectives such as infrastructure delivery, we need to ensure that the planning system is equipped to respond. The significant changes in our new planning legislation will contribute to creating the right environment to provide the additional homes we need.
“With the implementation of our new Planning Act now underway, it is crucial that we have the right people and resources in place to ensure we maximise the benefits of the new legislation. As organisations have scaled-up to meet statutory mandates and industry demand, it is acknowledged that recruitment of skilled staff has become a key issue. Ensuring we have a well-resourced and efficient planning system is vital for Ireland’s future.
“By adding this key profession to the Critical Skills Occupations List, we are taking a decisive step to address planning resource shortages and reinforce the capacity of our planning system to meet current and future needs."
Thanking his government colleague Peter Burke, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Minister Cummins added that “the addition to the Critical Skills List is a significant and strategic step in delivering the Ministerial Action Plan for Planning Resources.”
The inclusion of town planners on the Critical Skills Occupations List means that eligible non-EEA professionals from outside of Europe will now benefit from streamlined employment permit processes, making it easier for Irish employers to recruit and retain international talent in this vital sector.
Concluding, the Minister said that his department remains committed to implementing the Ministerial Action Plan for Planning Resources in full and will continue working closely with key stakeholders to support and strengthen Ireland’s planning system.
Notes
Extract from Ministerial Action Plan on Planning Resources
5.3.3 Non EEA Critical Skills Occupation List
A ‘Critical Skills Employment Permit’ is a targeted employment permit for non-EEA residents designed to attract highly skilled people into the labour market with the aim of encouraging them to take up permanent residence in the State (residency visa sought separately). Permits are offered in respect of occupations listed on the ‘Critical Skills Occupation List’ with a range of other factors such as remuneration and duration of employment (2 year minimum) also taken into account. The Economic Migration Policy Unit of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) administer the Critical Skills Occupation List. During a review of the list in 2023, professional planners were not added. However, recent bilateral engagement between officials within DFHERIS, DHLGH and DETE indicates that there is an opportunity to make a new submission on the basis that there is a shortage in respect of the qualifications, experience and skills required for the proper functioning of the economy. This is considered a critical step in pursuing international recruitment options.
Action 9: Ensure the addition of the profession of planner to the Critical Skills Occupation List.
Circular Title EL 04/2024 - Starting Pay on Recruitment through Open Competition to the Public Sector – Appointment of Existing Public Servants from the EEA, UK and Switzerland Serving in Analogous Grades
This circular, which issued last December, confirms that public servants, serving elsewhere in the EEA, UK and Switzerland, appointed to an analogous grade in the Local Authority Sector through an open competition may be appointed at their current public service euro salary from the public service post the individual is leaving. This circular will hopefully be pivotal in attracting new workers to the Irish Planning System and creating much needed additionality in terms of numbers working in the System.