Local Authority Graduate Planner Recruitment Campaign 2025

Instructions for applicants

1. You must set up an account before you can submit an application form for this competition. To do this you must click on the ‘sign in’ tab at the top right of this screen. Once you’re in the sign-up page you must click on the ‘sign up now’ link at the bottom of the tile and follow the instructions. Once your account is set up you can then sign-in using your e-mail address and password.
2. Once you have set up an account this will allow you to work on your application at your own pace. You will be able to open your application and amend the text and then exit knowing that your amended text will be saved on the system. However, having a rough draft of your application form in your account does not equate to a valid submission. You must submit your completed application form prior to the deadline.
3. Please leave yourself plenty of time to review your application and then insert your signature on the document version of the application form. Once you complete the review on the summary section of your application form you will receive an e-mail to your contact e-mail address with a pdf version of your application form which you will be required to sign. The e-mail will contain instructions of how you complete this task. Once your signature is inserted on the document you can then return to the online application portal; confirm that you have signed the document and then formally submit your online application. If you don’t sign the document version of the application form your application will not be submitted and the application cannot be considered as being valid. Applications without an actual signature contained in the declarations section of the application form will be deemed to be invalid and this will mean your application will not be considered. A printed/typed version of your name will also not be deemed to be a valid signature. The process of inserting a signature on the document takes a few minutes so leave yourself plenty of time to complete and submit in advance of the submission deadline.
4. You can only submit one application. Applicants that attempt to submit a second application using a second e-mail will be disqualified from the process. You will have access to your draft or final application form(s) saved in your account on the application portal for up to 6 months after the competition closes. After 6 months all of the accounts and the documents stored there will be deleted from the system. In all cases where you are providing a list of either qualifications or previous employment history please commence your list with the most recent one and work backwards. If you are a final year student and yet to be assigned a grade or have yet to undertake your final year exams , you must complete the Education and Professional Qualifications part of the form detailing the award your course of study will lead to; the year you expect to graduate and state what level of mark /grade you expect to be awarded.
5. Applicants should note that you should identify your 1-5 preferences in the one or two regions (max) that you select. Whilst the LGMA and the regional lead authorities that will be assigning individual applicants to vacant posts will endeavour to facilitate each applicant’s choices we cannot guarantee that applicants will get their first; second or even third choice Council. Selecting at least five Councils in a region will make its easier to assign individual applicants to the vacancies in each region.
6. It is the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate how they meet the minimum requirement to either hold an honours degree (level 8 or higher in the National Framework of Qualifications) in Planning, or expect to hold the required qualification just prior to a job offer being made.
7. You will be assigned an application reference number which you should quote in all future correspondence regarding your application.
8. Closing time and date for receipt of your completed application through the online application portal will be 12 noon on the 1st of July 2025. The application portal will not accept applications submitted after that time and date. Neither will the LGMA accept any applications submitted by e-mail after the stated application deadline.
9. If you experience any problems with submitting your application form, please use the graduates@lgma.ie e-mail address to alert us to your specific problem. However, please note while we will monitor the e-mail address while the competition is open we cannot guarantee that all e-mails submitted especially on the last day, the 1st of July, can be responded to in advance of the closing deadline.