Independent Senator Victor Boyhan has called for the Government to publish updated national planning guidelines to support individuals seeking to build homes in rural Ireland. As a member of the Seanad Agricultural Panel, Boyhan criticised the existing 2005 rural housing guidelines as “overly restrictive,” arguing they hinder young people from building homes on or near family farmland.
“Too many young people are being denied the opportunity to live in their rural communities,” Boyhan said. “This is unfair and must be addressed through new, balanced rural planning guidelines.” He highlighted the National Planning Framework 2040, which supports “single housing” in rural areas under urban influence, based on social need assessed through local authorities’ Housing Need Demand Assessment (HNDA) and county development plans.
