Paul Reid named chair of restructured An Bord Pleanála

James Cox

Former HSE chief Paul Reid is set to lead a new planning authority which seeks to replace An Bord Pleanála.

Legislation was enacted last year to overhaul planning and replace An Bord Pleanála with An Coimisiún Pleanála.

The new body will be subject to statutory mandatory timelines for planning decisions in a bid to speed up the process of getting house built.

Mr Reid will chair the board of the new commission when it's established formally by Minister for Housing James Browne.

He was a central figure in Ireland's Covid-19 response, and stood down from the HSE in late 2022.

Mr Browne is expected to set out Mr Reid’s appointment in an information memorandum to the Cabinet.