A Dublin homeowner facing imprisonment or a €5,000 fine after being told to remove the external insulation installed on his home has secured planning permission from South Dublin County Council – and no longer has to comply with their order.
Clive Ryan said he was checking the local authority’s website on a daily basis and was greatly relieved to see “permission granted” in relation to his property, though he has yet to receive full details on the decision.
“It’s a huge relief ... the threat of imprisonment shook me to the core,” Mr Ryan said.
He spent €16,000 to have wraparound, external insulation installed on his home in Kilnamanagh in Tallaght in October 2018 with the help of a Government grant.
Ireland’s rising rents: ‘Our budget would have been €1,300 a month, there isn’t even anything listed for that’
Vogue Williams: ‘Spencer ran towards me with red flags hanging off him in every direction’
You’d be genuinely mad to buy an SUV unless you need it - just look at latest climate and safety figures
What does Trump’s 50% EU tariff threat mean for Ireland?
Mr Ryan received a €4,000 grant under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) programme following completion of the works by registered One Stop Shop provider Churchfield Home Services.
Mr Ryan said he believed everything was in order when the work began. “At no stage was I told I needed planning permission. But unfortunately the company was not aware of what was required,” he said. “We were blindsided by it”.
They hit a wall in trying to resolve matters before local councillors Mark Lynch of the Green Party and People for Profit’s Jess Spear “put us on the proper path”, he said, adding that Churchfield resubmitted plans and technical data, and it went for review.
Mr Ryan said his experience suggested there was a huge amount of red tape to be negotiated and he advised householders doing insulation work and retrofitting to do the research before handing over money.
The programme for Government committed to ramping up its retrofitting targets to deliver more B2 Ber rated homes and to provide improved grants for homeowners who wish to enhance the energy efficiency of their homes.
“This is something we got to reduce our bills, reduce our emissions, and add value to the house, that was the plan behind it,” Mr Ryan said.
He said previously he was very happy with the workmanship and his home was now easier to heat and his bills have been reduced. “You put the heat on for 20 minutes and the house is warm for three or four hours, I think it’s brilliant.”
After his difficulties emerged, however, Mr Ryan said he regretted having any work done after being told the insulation did not meet planning requirements.
While he has applied for retention planning permission twice since first being alerted to this, his applications had come back as invalid. He was in the process of applying for a third time, when permission was confirmed.
In December 2024, 6½ years after having the work done, he received a letter from the council saying the insulation must be taken down or else he faced a €5,000 fine or imprisonment.
Under planning laws, maintenance and improvement works to homes which do not affect the external appearance are exempt from the requirement for planning permission. However, in the case of external insulation, it is less clear.
In response to a parliamentary question from People Before Profit–Solidarity TD Paul Murphy, Minister for Housing James Browne said that whether planning permission is required for insulation is “dependent on a number of factors” and said homeowners needed to engage with the local planning authority “on a case-by-case basis”.
The Minister has said this situation is to be reviewed as part of updating regulations.
Cllr Spear said the issue “has caused anxiety and frustration” for Mr Ryan and his family.
“Is this really how we should respond to a homeowner reducing their emissions – tell them they have to take it down or the council will, and not only that but they could be fined and imprisoned?” she asked. “We should be facilitating people to insulate their homes, not putting up barriers.”
South Dublin County Council was asked to comment on the outcome of Mr Ryan’s case.
