The 2000 Planning and Sustainable Development Act requires that all Regional Authorities shall at the direction of the Minister make Regional Planning Guidelines.  There are 8 Regional Authorities in Ireland, which were set up in 1994 under the Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Authorities) Establishment Order 1993.

The main functions of a Regional Authority are:-

• To promote co-ordination, co-operation and joint action among the public services and local authorities;
• To prepare Regional Planning Guidelines
• To review of the overall needs and development requirements of the region;
• To review  local authority’s Development Plans;
• To monitor spending and progress of the National Development Plan and EU Funds.

The Regional Planning Guidelines for the Greater Dublin Area combines two Regional Authority areas - the Dublin Regional Authority and the Mid-East Regional Authority for the purposes of Regional Planning. This approach is provided for in the Planning Act where required by the Minister.

The Regional Planning Guidelines were prepared over a one year time-frame, which involved a public consultation period of eight weeks from the 3rd of July 2003. As part of this process an issue paper was published outlining the key issues for the Regional Planning Guidelines, and all prescribed organisations (official organisations set out under legislation that the RPG office is required to contact) were contacted and invited to make a submission. In total 73 submissions were received from a wide range of people and organisations.