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❤️ Support My Work on Dereliction, History & Heritage

If you value my work documenting Ireland’s dereliction and vacancy, and helping to preserve its history and heritage, you can support my future research, restoration and photography through:

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Thank you for your support. It helps me continue sharing Ireland’s rich history and heritage with a wider audience.

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Concerned about a vacant, neglected or endangered protected structure? Under Section 59 of the Planning & Development Act 2000, any member of the public can ask their local authority's Planning Enforcement section to require the owner to carry out works to prevent the building's endangerment. This page explains how to do it, who to contact in each of the 31 local authorities, and gives you a ready-to-use letter template.

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What this is for

If a building is a Protected Structure (i.e. it is on a local authority's Record of Protected Structures / RPS), the planning authority has a legal duty to protect it. If it is being allowed to fall into disrepair, you can write to the Planning Enforcement section and request that they act.

• Section 59 — the authority can serve a notice on the owner/occupier specifying the works needed to prevent the structure being endangered.
• Section 11 of the Act allows anyone to ask that a building be added to the RPS if it is not already protected.
• If the authority fails to carry out its duties, this can be pursued under Section 155 of the Act.

Keeping a building in use is the best protection. Once vacant, blocked gutters and downpipes, water ingress, and poor securing can cause rapid decline — which is exactly what a Section 59 request aims to stop.

Step-by-step: how to make your request

1. Confirm the building is protected. Check the local authority's Record of Protected Structures (RPS) — see the Where to find each council's Record of Protected Structures links at the end of this page — and note the RPS reference number and, if available, the NIAH number. This strengthens your case.
2. Identify the right local authority. Use the directory below to find the council that covers the building's location.
3. Address it to Planning Enforcement. Email the Planning Enforcement / Planning Department and put "For the attention of Planning Enforcement" in the subject line.
4. Describe the building and its condition. Give the full address (and Eircode if known), and describe the specific signs of neglect you can see.
5. Attach evidence. Include dated photographs, and note the RPS reference. Street View / aerial imagery with capture dates can help.
6. Make a clear request. Ask them to issue a notice under Section 59 and to tell you what action they propose to take.
7. Keep a record. Save your email, note the date sent, and follow up if you don't get an acknowledgement.