An Overview of Planning Law
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Investigation & Enforcement for Planning Officers
This 4 day intensive training programme gives planning officers the skills needed to carry out their investigations in a professional manner and take successful criminal prosecutions.
1590
Online
9:30am - 5pm
4 day course
About this course
Planning enforcement officers play a crucial role in ensuring compliance with planning laws. Without proper enforcement, unauthorised developments can lead to environmental damage, public safety issues, and a lack of trust in the planning system. Effective investigation and enforcement help maintain orderly development and uphold the integrity of planning regulations.
This course provides expert legal guidance on how to investigate an offence, compile a successful criminal prosecution case from start to finish and gives delegates excellent knowledge of the relevant legislation, practice and procedures which they work under. Attendees will learn how to obtain and secure evidence in accordance with best practice standards and understand how this affects the admissibility, credibility and weight of evidence in court.
Why choose this course
This training is designed to provide Planning Officers with a clear insight into the legal framework in which they work. Attendees will examine the relevant legislation, looking specifically at offences, their powers and enforcement options. They will learn by exploring real life planning problems and sharing ideas/solutions with fellow planning professionals.
Delegates will learn from qualified lawyers how to apply best practice standards in their procedures to ensure consistent approach is applied across the board, at all stages of the investigation and prosecution.
This course is accredited by Engineers Ireland.
Module 1: Planning and Development Act 2000
Module 2: Law, Evidence, Procedure and Best Practice
Module 3: Excellence in Written Evidence
Module 4: Courtroom Skills and Giving Effective Evidence
Course syllabus
Key Learning Points:
- Manage a prosecution case from start to finish,
- Relevant legislation and procedures,
- Powers and offences,
- Issuing enforcement notices,
- Rules of evidence and admissible evidence,
- Best practice in statement/report writing,
- Give confident evidence in Court,
- Deal with difficult cross examination.
Module 1: Planning and Development Act 2000
On completion of this module all planning officers will understand:
- Powers of Authorised Officers
- Methods of Enforcement under the Act
- Enforcement Notices
- Section 46 Notices
- Section 59 Notices
- Section 60 Notices
- Section 88 Notices
Along with Criminal Prosecutions:
- Summary and Indictable Offences and Penalties
- Reverse Onus Clause
- Offences by Companies
Injunctions:
- Section 160 Injunctions
- Costs/Polluter pays principal
- What factors the Court may take into account
Judicial Review Proceedings:
- What can be judicially reviewed
- What time limits apply
- When will the Court grant leave
- Case Law re substantial ground/interest
Module 2: Law, Evidence, Procedure and Best Practice
On completion of this module Planning Officers will:
- Understand the need for consistency of approach in enforcement procedure
- Recognise different types of evidence, including, oral, documentary, hearsay, circumstantial and real evidence, which includes use of notebooks, photographs, and maps as evidence
- Distinguish between facts, inferences and opinions
- Follow best practice in evidence gathering procedure
- Consider the rules of evidence and admissibility of evidence
- Have an understanding of our legal system, court system and criminal prosecution procedure both summary and indictable.
- Follow guidelines in relation to the procedure required in case preparation
Module 3: Excellence in Written Evidence
On completion of this module, delegates will be able to:
- Create, maintain and enhance best practice standards in note taking and maintenance of officers’ notebooks
- Create, maintain and enhance best practice standards in statement writing including cautioning in accordance with the Judges Rules
- Consider and follow best practice in both investigation and prosecution report writing, to include analysis of model report formats
Module 4: Giving Effective Evidence
On completion of this module delegates will be able to:
- Understand summary and indictable trial procedure
- Consider the process of giving evidence and how best to prepare
- Appreciate the differences between examination-in-chief, cross-examination and re-examination
- Consider the techniques used by lawyers in cross-examination
- Analyse how to handle cross-examination, in particular getting across the whole truth
- Experience cross-examination in the witness box, and receive feedback based on assessment criteria, covering content, structure and presentation
Benefits of the training:
Planning officers will:
- Gain a clear understanding of their powers
- Get practical guidance on how to draft notes, statements and reports
- Issue enforcement notices
All in accordance with best practice standards
Planning officers will also:
- Gain skills in collecting evidence
- Gain a thorough understanding of the rules of evidence ensuring the evidence they collect is admissible.
- Learn through interaction with colleagues
- Learn best practice from qualified lawyers
As part of the final module delegates will learn how to:
- Give clear confident testimony in court,
- Deliver the evidence in the best way possible
- Defend the evidence presented under difficult cross examination
Meet the team – Our expert trainers
La Touche Training Legal Experts
We work with a wide panel of specialist trainers, all chosen based on their experience and knowledge, experience both in practice and as trained trainers. The majority of our trainers are experienced...
Read BioPractical training with small groups to ensure quality.
Our training sessions are not lectures—they're practical, interactive experiences. The small group format allows every attendee to ask questions, take part in discussions involving practical exercises and role-plays.
This method of training allows attendees to put the skills learned into practice immediately. Course participants benefit from the focused attention and guidance of an independent expert.
Register to attend:
This 4 day training course will take place on 18, 19th and 25, 26th November.
# SELECTED
| Course Dates | Location | Price | Spaces Left | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18/11/26 - 26/11/26 i 18/11/2026 09:30 - 16:30 19/11/2026 09:30 - 16:30 25/11/2026 09:30 - 16:30 26/11/2026 09:30 - 16:30 | Zoom Online | €1,590.00 | 8 |
Investigation & Enforcement for Planning Officers 4 day course
FAQs
This course provides practical training on how to investigate planning breaches and take enforcement action under Irish planning law. It focuses on evidence gathering, legal procedures, and preparing cases for potential prosecution.
The course is designed for planning officers, enforcement staff, and local authority personnel responsible for monitoring compliance with planning permissions and addressing unauthorised development.
Planning enforcement is primarily governed by the Planning and Development Act 2000 and subsequent amendments, which set out the powers of local authorities and enforcement procedures.
Unauthorised development refers to works carried out without planning permission or in breach of the conditions of an existing permission. Local authorities have powers to investigate and take action in such cases.
Planning officers have powers to enter land, inspect sites, request information, and issue warning letters or enforcement notices where breaches are identified.
The process typically involves investigating the complaint, gathering evidence, issuing a warning letter, and, if necessary, serving an enforcement notice or initiating legal proceedings.
Yes. A key focus is on collecting and documenting evidence in a way that supports enforcement decisions and can be used in court if required.
A warning letter notifies a person of an alleged planning breach and allows them to respond, while an enforcement notice requires specific steps to remedy the breach within a set timeframe.
Common issues include insufficient evidence, procedural errors, unclear documentation, and failure to follow statutory timelines, all of which can weaken enforcement action.
Yes. The course supports both new and experienced staff by reinforcing best practice, improving consistency, and enhancing confidence in handling enforcement cases.
