** If you are not eligible for the discount, you will be required to pay full price. **

*** Deadline for Applications: Midnight (Irish time) on Thursday, September 26, 2024 *** 

Full Cost: € 2,850
Subsidised Cost: € 1,700

Barrister–at–Law graduates and King’s Inns Subscribing members are eligible for an additional 10% discount. If this applies to you, please reference this in your enquiry.

Date: Every Thursday from October to May; start date 17th October 2024
Time: 08:30 - 10:00 AM
Venue: Zoom 

Application Process 

1. Ensure that you meet the Eligibility Criteria at the bottom of this page

2. Select 'Enquire Now' or email us at training@greentechskillnet.com to register your interest

3. We will provide you with the details you need to apply for the programme on the Kings Inns website

Course Overview 

This course provides participants with a comprehensive practical knowledge of Planning and Environmental Law, which will be relevant to professionals who are involved in advising on planning and strategic infrastructure applications, enforcement issues, development plans and strategic planning, waste management and climate resilience and adaptation. 

Who should attend

This Advanced Diploma is aimed at planners, engineers, architects and construction managers, An Bord Pleanála, inspectors, those working with NGOs, local authority professionals, consultants, barristers and solicitors in general practice who would like to diversify into the area of planning and environmental law, and anyone working in the planning and environmental area.

The diversity of the student body allows participants to learn from each other, especially during tutorials and Q&A sessions. 

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes 

On successful completion of the course, participants will be better able to:

1. Explain and apply relevant statutory, common law and other provisions;
2. Use relevant legal terminology competently and correctly;
3. Apply appropriate legal principles to a range of factual scenarios;
4. Solve problems within this area of law;
5. Communicate legal arguments based on relevant legal principles;
6. Conduct legal research independently and in groups;
7. Evaluate, criticise and defend legal arguments on matters of planning and environmental law. 

Course Content 

The topics covered on the course are:

1. Introduction to the Course and Development Plans
2. Strategic Environmental Assessment
3. “Meaning of Development“
4. Planning Applications
5. Grant of Planning Permission
6. Planning Appeals
7. Strategic Development
8. Planning Enforcement
9. Live tutorial 
10. Aarhus Convention / Access to Information on the Environment
11. Judicial Review
12. Environmental Impact Assessment
13. Nature Conservation
14. Maritime Planning
15. Substitute Consent 
16. Waste Management 
17. Water Management
18. Industrial Emissions
19. Climate Change
20. Environmental Crime
21. "A View from the Bench"

Certification 

This is a professional development course and it is accredited independently by The Honorable Society of King's Inns. 

Other Course Details

In order to be awarded the advanced diploma, a participant is required to complete a written assessment (format tba), on an individual basis. The assessment is based on the course content but requires some reading and research. The assessment is set by the course coordinator and reviewed by the external examiner (a senior counsel with expertise in this area). Marks and standards are also reviewed by the external examiner and by an end of year meeting of the board of examiners for the course.

During the academic year, course participants will be invited to attend various social events, fireside chats and talks. Events take place either online or in—person. Ali of this contributes to the learning experience that is King's Inns. These additional events are optional.

This course takes place in a primarily online format, live via Zoom, with recordings of lectures available after class is over. The online format of the course widens accessibility to the material covered and permits busy professionals to attend the classes at the beginning of their working day, regardless of their location, with flexibility to watch back lecture recordings if they are unable to attend the live session (or if they would like another chance to review the information). At the end of the lecture, there is an opportunity for a question and answer session with the expert speaker.

Lectures are recorded using eLearning software and made available to students for streaming via our Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle). This means that, while all students are welcome to attend class live via Zoom, most of the sessions will be recorded so that students who are unable to attend can catch up on the material by streaming the video in their own time.

The course includes a live tutorial, which is not recorded in order to allow students to ask and answer questions in a “safe space” and to test their knowledge.

While most classroom sessions take place online only, at least one session per academic year takes place in person, allowing participants the opportunity to visit King's Inns and to mingle with their classmates. The lecture entitled “A View from the Bench” is not recorded; this session is delivered by a member of the judiciary and takes place in person at King's Inns, with the option for course participants to watch via livestream if they cannot attend in person.

The course takes place over approx. 20-22 weeks from October to May, with lectures on Thursdays from 8:30 am to 10:00 am.

The course start date is Thursday, October 17, 2024 

Notes are available to read through the King's Inns Virtual Learning Environment. Online tutorials and IT support are available to help students navigate their way through our library and legal resource databases, which are extensive. 

About the trainer

As with all King's Inns advanced diplomas, this course has its own course coordinator, who is a practising barrister with experience of planning and environmental law. The learning material is delivered by multiple different subject matter experts who are barristers, solicitors and a judge with extensive knowledge of the subject matter under discussion. As always at this time of year, we are currently reviewing bookings of teaching staff for the upcoming year.

Eligibility for Companies
Key requirements regarding the eligibility of businesses to participate in funding.
- Companies must be from private enterprise based in the Republic of Ireland.
- Skillnet Ireland funding is not available to public sector bodies or organisations that are publicly funded such as community-based not-for-profit companies or charities.
- Commercial semi-state companies are eligible providing that income contributed to a Network is not sourced from the public purse.
- Sole traders are eligible as Companies.

Eligibility for Trainees
Key requirements regarding the Trainees:
- Trainees must be based in the Republic of Ireland to be eligible.
- Trainees must be employed within private enterprise, commercial semi-state, or as a sole trader.