Press release
Appointment of Interim Chairperson to An Bord Pleanála
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Published on
Last updated on
At its meeting today (25 July) the government agreed to appoint Peter Mullan as Interim Chairperson of An Bord Pleanála.
The appointment of Mr. Mullan as an interim Chairperson will be effected through the use of Ministerial powers under existing provisions of the Planning and Development Act, 2000 as amended.
Mr. Mullan will take up his post on 2 September 2023 when the current interim Chairperson, Ms. Oonagh Buckley, moves to her new role as Secretary General of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The government wishes Ms. Buckley well in her new role and thanks her for her time in An Bord Pleanála.
Arrangements are currently being put in place by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the recruitment of a full term (seven year) Chairperson, and permanent Ordinary Board Members, to the Board of An Bord Pleanála. These recruitment campaigns will be facilitated by the Public Appointments Service (PAS).
Peter Mullan is a solicitor by profession and joined the public service in 2012 following almost 20 years in private practice as a solicitor specialising in criminal law and litigation.
Peter was first appointed to An Bord Pleanála as a temporary Board member in January 2023. Peter’s previous positon prior to taking up his role in An Bord Pleanála was as an Assistant Secretary in the Courts Service. In this role Peter had responsibility for Circuit and District Courts Operations. Peter held this role since 2018.
Prior to that, Peter was an Assistant Secretary in the Department of Justice and Equality for a number of years and Chief Prosecution Solicitor in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, his first role in the Public Service. Peter is a graduate of University College Dublin (UCD) where he completed a Law Degree (BCL) in 1984. He undertook a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Administration in UCD in 1985. He was enrolled on the Solicitor’s Roll in 1993.