New outdoor events licensing rules published in Iris Oifigiúil

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published the Planning and Development (Licensing of Outdoor Events) Regulations 2026, made under the Planning and Development Act 2024. The regulations, cited as S.I. No. 468 of 2026, appear in the Iris Oifigiúil of Friday, 11 September 2026 (Number 73), and set out which events require a licence under Part 16 of the 2024 Act.

The instrument is the first dedicated licensing framework for outdoor events under the new planning code, which replaced the earlier planning legislation. It was made in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 4(1), 478(2), 479(3) and 486 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 (No. 34 of 2024).

What the regulations cover

The regulations define the type of events for which a licence under Part 16 of the Planning and Development Act 2024 shall be required. They also provide for matters of procedure and administration in relation to applications for, and the grant of, licences for events.

• The type of events requiring a licence under Part 16 of the 2024 Act.
• The procedure and administration for licence applications.
• The grant of licences for events.
• The arrangements for events to be held by local authorities.

Who is affected

The rules apply to event organisers across the country and to local authorities, which are themselves covered by the provisions relating to events they hold. The regulations give local authorities a defined role in the licensing process alongside the statutory framework set out in the 2024 Act.

Availability and cost

Copies of the regulations may be purchased from Government Publications, Mountshannon Road, Kilmainham, Dublin, D08 XA06 (phone 046 942 3100), at a price of €4.50.

The publication of S.I. No. 468 of 2026 gives event organisers and local authorities a clear, statutory basis for deciding when an outdoor event must be licensed and how applications and grants are to be handled, providing legal certainty ahead of the event season.

Source: Iris Oifigiúil, Number 73, 11 September 2026, Section I, p. — (official reference: S.I. No. 468 of 2026).