Planning and Development Act 2024
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Code of conduct | ||
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569. (1) The Office shall adopt a code of conduct for dealing with conflicts of interest and promoting public confidence in the integrity of the conduct of its business (in this section referred to as the “code of conduct”) which is required to be followed by— | ||
(a) the Planning Regulator and Deputy Planning Regulator, | ||
(b) all members of the staff of the Office, and | ||
(c) to the extent indicated in the code of conduct, any person or class or classes of persons to whom section 390 relates, | ||
and the code of conduct shall be complied with by each person to the extent that it relates to him or her or has been duly applied to him or her. | ||
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal of section 31AL of the Act of 2000 effected by section 6 , a code of conduct prepared under that section that was in force immediately before the commencement of this section shall remain in force after the commencement of this section pending the preparation of a code in accordance with subsection (1). | ||
(3) The Office shall consult with the Minister before adopting a code of conduct. | ||
(4) The code of conduct shall consist of a written statement setting out the policy of the Office and shall include at least each of the following matters: | ||
(a) measures to ensure the avoidance and management of any conflict of interest; | ||
(b) disclosure of interests and relationships where the interests and relationships are of relevance to the work of the Office, as appropriate; | ||
(c) membership of other organisations, associations and bodies, professional or otherwise; | ||
(d) membership of, or other financial interests in, companies, partnerships or other bodies; | ||
(e) undertaking work, not being work on behalf of the Office both during and after any period of employment with the Office, whether as a consultant, adviser or otherwise; | ||
(f) acceptance of gifts, sponsorship, considerations or favours; | ||
(g) disclosure of information concerning matters pertaining to the work of the Office, as appropriate; | ||
(h) following of best practice to be adopted in relation to the functions of the Office including the procedures for the provision of observations and recommendations in accordance with this Act in relation to— | ||
(i) the preparation, making and revision of regional spatial and economic strategies, and the review of such strategies to ensure their consistency with new or amended National Planning Polices and Measures, including for the purposes of ensuring compliance with section 29 , | ||
(ii) the preparation, making and variation of development plans, and the review of such development plans to ensure their consistency with the national and regional plans and policies provided for in this Act, including for the purposes of ensuring compliance with section 43 , and | ||
(iii) the preparation, making and amendment of urban area plans, priority area plans and coordinated area plans, including for the purposes of ensuring compliance with sections 71 , 72 and 73 and the adjudication of certain disputes in relation to those plans; | ||
(i) the disclosure by the Planning Regulator, Deputy Planning Regulator, staff of the Office or persons to whom section 390 relates of any representations relating to the work or functions of the Office made to the Planning Regulator, Deputy Planning Regulator, any such staff member or person to whom section 390 relates, whether in writing or otherwise in relation to those matters. | ||
(5) A person shall not take up position or hold office within the Office except on condition that he or she shall comply with the code of conduct. | ||
(6) Subject to subsection (3), the Office may at any time review the code of conduct and may amend the code of conduct or adopt a new code of conduct. | ||
(7) The Office shall cause a copy of the code of conduct to be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published on a website maintained by or on behalf of the Office within the period of 2 weeks after it is adopted. |