Ireland Grows

Ireland has 2,500 allotments. Denmark has 50,000. It’s time to close the gap.

The government promised councils a planning framework for allotments by December 2023. It’s still not published. Hundreds of thousands of Irish people are on waiting lists — or have given up. Sign the petition. Email your councillor. Grow Ireland.

Sign the petition Email your councillor
2,500
Allotments in Ireland today
→
10,000
Target by 2030
(Community Gardens Ireland)
vs
50,000
Allotments in Denmark
(same population as Ireland)

Add your name

Join the call for the government to publish the allotment guidelines it promised in December 2023 — and for every council to produce a real plan for new plots.

Also sign the petition on Uplift — Ireland’s main petition platform, 250,000+ members:

Sign on Uplift.ie →
Who we are supporting: This campaign runs alongside Community Gardens Ireland, who have been lobbying for allotment legislation since 2020. Their target: 10,000 allotments and community gardens by 2030.

Three things we’re asking for

1
Publish the overdue guidelines The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage promised planning guidelines for allotments by December 2023. They are now 2½ years late. Councils are legally obligated to plan for allotments but have no framework to follow. Publish the guidelines now.
2
Every council to publish an allotment plan The Planning and Development Act 2024 requires all 31 local authorities to prepare a Sustainable Places Strategy including allotments. We’re asking every council to publish a specific, dated allotment plan — not vague commitments.
3
A public national waiting list register Ireland has no standardised allotment waiting list system. We have no idea how many people are waiting nationally. We’re asking for a standardised register so the scale of the problem can be properly measured and reported.
While you’re waiting for policy to catch up… The plot-share marketplace connects frustrated allotment-seekers with landowners who have unused space — no council, no waiting list. Find a plot near you →

Why this matters

Food security Ireland grows only about 30% of its own vegetables. Every allotment reduces dependence on imported food and long supply chains.
Mental health Research consistently shows gardening reduces anxiety and depression. Allotments also reduce isolation — they build community.
Biodiversity Allotments are sanctuaries for birds, bats, insects, and pollinators in dense urban environments. They’re green infrastructure.
Cost of living Growing your own vegetables significantly cuts household food bills. At Cork’s €1/m² pricing, a 50m² plot costs €50/year. That’s extraordinary value.
Climate Local food production reduces carbon emissions from transport and industrial agriculture. Every plot is a tiny carbon sink too.
Children Allotments teach children where food comes from. Multiple studies show children who grow food eat more vegetables and develop healthier habits.

How long is the wait in your area?

Check our council-by-council allotment waiting list tracker — and submit your local data if it’s not there yet.

See the tracker →

Spread the word

Know someone on an allotment waiting list? Share this campaign. Every person who signs makes the ask harder to ignore.

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