Cork County Council has been awarded the National Planning Achievement Award for the interactive CD-Rom version of its draft county development plan.
The Urban Design Award was presented to Wexford Borough Council for its quay-front regeneration project. Kildare County Council won the Conservation award for its scheme for developing the village of Prosperous.
Certificates of merit were awarded to Limerick County Council for its "PlanMap" information system and to Murray O'Laoire Architects for its plan for Carlow town's 800th anniversary regeneration.
The National Planning Awards were established by the Irish Planning Institute (IPI) to recognise outstanding projects in planning. The distinctions reward planners who move beyond the traditional emphasis on infrastructure, the IPI said.
Speaking at the awards ceremony in Dublin, the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Mr Cullen, said those recognised had "made a major contribution in meeting the high standards that are the hallmark of good planning".
The Awards are sponsored by Boots the Chemists and The Heritage Council.