The Office of the Planning Regulator has started a review of An Bord Pleanála, citing "the urgent need to progress measures aimed at restoring public confidence."
The review requires An Bord Pleanála to "immediately appoint such person or persons at senior management level to arrange for the communication of information, records or documents as requested within the time frame set out by the OPR, the Director of Planning Reviews or authorised persons."
It will include an examination of "the processes for allocation of case-files to individual Board members for the purposes of presentation for decision at Board meetings" and "the robustness and effectiveness of decision-making practices"
The review is being carried out in two parts with the first, which will be completed on or before 3 October, to be led by senior counsel Conleth Bradley; John McNairney, a former Chief Planner to the Scottish Government; Paul Cackette, a former head of the Scottish Government's legal directorate.
They will be working under the Director of Planning Reviews of the OPR, Gary Ryan.
The second part of the review will "include the further and ongoing regulatory supervision by the OPR of An Bord Pleanála".
It will review "generally the systems and procedures used at organisational level within An Bord Pleanála and also the future work programme of the OPR."
It is scheduled to be completed by 30 November 2022.
The announcement follows a report on alleged conflicts of interest at An Bord Pleanála conducted by senior counsel Remy Farrell.
The OPR was established in 2019 on foot of recommendations by the Mahon Tribunal, which was itself set up to look into "Certain Planning Matters and Payments".
The role of the OPR is to "to ensure that local authorities and An Bord Pleanála support and implement Government planning policy."
