Home / About Us / History The Origins of the Institute by Patrick Shaffrey (First President of the Institute, 1975-76) The first formally educated planners trained in the Republic of Ireland graduated from the College of Technology, Bolton Street and University College Dublin, in 1969. Prior to this, those wishing to obtain a “planning qualification” had either to take the Royal Town Planning Institute’s external examinations, or attend a planning course generally in Britain or America. Following the amalgamation of the planning courses in 1969, the number of planning graduates increased, and they began to make a positive contribution to the planning profession, at a time when planning itself as becoming a major community concern. However, there was no organisation to which the new graduates could belong and which would also protect their status and improve the image of planning generally. The Royal Town Planning Institute at that time did not formally recognise the qualifications available in the Republic of Ireland. It soon became obvious to many planners, concerned about the future development of the profession, that it could be best advanced through the establishment of a formal body. In the early Seventies, a combined group of planners and planning students decided in principle to investigate the possibility of establishing an Irish Planning Institute. Talks were held with other planners, some of whom were members of the Royal Town Planning Institute. There was also a group representing planning staff within the Local Authority Service (the Association of Physical Planners of Ireland – A P P I). This body became fully involved in the preliminary work, and most of its members became founder members of the Institute. It was hoped that all would join together to establish the new Institute. Unfortunately, not all the planners at the time agreed with the proposal. However, the organising group considered that both the interests of the new and future graduates, and the profession as a whole, demanded a special initiative. Planners were following in the steps of their colleagues in the architectural, engineering, medical and other professions. In retrospect, it was a natural evolution, and it was only a question of when the development of the Irish Planning Institute would come about, rather than why. It was never a question of establishing an Institute merely to rival other bodies, or from any parochial or nationalistic point of view. The Institute was formally launched in November 1975. Sadly, however, Government Departments and some public organisations maintained a distinct reserve towards the new Institute. What should have been warmly greeted was met with a certain reluctance – the “young tigers had to prove themselves” – even though they all had qualifications in other disciplines, a deep knowledge of the planning process and were highly motivated. The Irish Planning Institute is now a fully fledged professional Institute. Its annual conference is of national importance. It holds seminars, publishes a journal, makes comments on major planning issues, advances the interests of its members, is represented on advisory committees, and is widely recognised as a most significant voice in national planning. This has been achieved through its positive approach over the years. It never relied on special pleading, but always sought to influence people by the clarity, practicality, and far-sightedness of its suggestions and policies. There is a greater awareness than never before of environmental issues, and planners are at the centre of this concern. There is more to be achieved. There Is not yet one Institute representing all planners, although our links with the Southern Branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute are friendly. Hopefully, the amalgamation may happen in the foreseeable future. There are major planning issues to be resolved: our towns and cities are expanding, and our countryside is changing. There are also outstanding objectives in the professional field. It is a reflection on the community that, twenty-two years since the Planning Act was passed, most major Local Authorities do not employ a planner in a chief officer status, even though planning matters are now among their most importance concerns. Frequently, planning studies – which in the final analysis have serious implications for the environment – are carried out with minimum input from the professional planner. Our environment is not yet as good as it should be. Future historians may partly attribute this to the lack of professional planning inputs at the highest levels. Environmental aims will not be achieved by special pleading. In time, the community at large will realise that its interests will be more positively served when the planning profession can make its contribution at the appropriate level. In any event, the Irish Planning Institute will hopefully continue to prosper and advance the cause of physical planning in its best and widest sense. From Pleanail Vol 1, no. 5, Winter 1985 (the Institute’s 10th anniversary) Discover More You can read more about the history of the Institute in the 2025 issue of Pleanáil published in December 2025. Past Presidents A list of the past presidents of the Institute can be found here. 50th Anniversary Founders’ Lunch – 4 December 2025 On 4th December 2025 the Institute held a Founders’ Lunch to mark the 50th anniversary of the Institute, inviting those who played a key role in the founding and early development of the Institute. This commemorative gathering took place at Tailors’ Hall, Dublin’s earliest surviving guild hall and one of the oldest public buildings in Ireland, and the venue of the inaugural public meeting of the Institute on 4th December 1975. Photographs from the event are below.