The Irish Planning Institute (IPI) has nominated its immediate past president Mary Hughes as an independent election candidate on Seanad Éireann’s Industrial and Commercial Panel.

Announcing her candidacy Hughes said “I am honoured and delighted to accept this nomination from the Irish Planning Institute as a candidate for election to the 25th Seanad.  I am proud to be a professional planner and believe the planning system at local, regional and national level is key to tackling the housing crisis, climate change and securing our long term economic and environmental security. Planning and environmental management needs to be taken seriously and our next government must commit to a long term strategic plan for Ireland with evidence led reform of the planning system. I am passionate about the need to reform the planning system as it is becoming excessively cumbersome and difficult to navigate. If elected I will work to highlight the value of planning to policy makers, councillors and the public and enhance collaboration between all actors in planning.”

Hughes continued “I have the advantage of both public and private sector experience over my twenty year career in town planning.  As well as being a professional planner I am also a well rounded and innovative business person who can bring a fresh voice and perspective to the upper house.”

Discussing the nomination current IPI President Deirdre Fallon said “The IPI is delighted to nominate Mary Hughes. The planning system is central to the future of Ireland. As planners we have a responsibility to influence, shape, form, and plan for a new future.  Electing Mary Hughes to the Seanad will advance this.”

During her IPI presidency, Mary represented the views of the country’s professional planners on all media platforms including RTE’s ‘Primetime’ and ‘Drivetime’ programmes, and Today FM’s Last Word as well as in Oireachtas Committees. 

Mary established her own business in 2005 and has been a company director of Limerick and Dublin based HRA Planning, a chartered town planning and environmental consultancy, since that time. She provides expert planning and environmental services to both public and private sector clients throughout Ireland and was president of the Irish Planning Institute between 2014 and January 2016. She is also a director of the Irish Planning Institute since 2010. She sat on the steering group which coordinated the preparation of the local authority renewable energy guidelines prepared by the SEAI and was appointed to the independent An Bord Pleanála review group by the Minister of the Environment in July 2015. Married to Gary she has three children and lives in Ballina, Co. Tipperary.