There's a lack of consistency from county to county when it comes to granting planning permission for one-off housing.
That's according to a building consultant, who says many hopefuls are spending between €6,000 and €10,000 in applying for planning permission, with some applying a number of times.
Figures from the CSO show there were 2,081 applications for one-off housing in Quarter One of 2021, the highest quarterly figure since 2009.
But President of Macra na Feirme John Keane says some young farmers aren’t getting permission to build on their own land.
"Instances in Cavan, instances in Cork, we've had members coming forward in Kerry as well who are actively farming themselves and unable to secure planning permission."
The Rural Housing Guidelines, which have been delayed until October, are expected to give greater clarity on the future of one-off houses.
