Before buying land in Ireland, check its zoning and any planning designations, access rights, services availability (or need for a well and percolation-tested septic tank), and title boundaries against the folio map. Whether the land is suitable for your intended use, especially building, depends heavily on the local authority's development plan and site conditions.
Land value and suitability depend heavily on what you're allowed to do with it. Check the zoning designation in the local authority's development plan, as this determines whether residential, agricultural, commercial or amenity use is supported, and review any Local Area Plan that may apply additional restrictions. Land zoned for one use may be entirely unsuitable for another, and rezoning is not guaranteed or quick.
Access is another critical factor: confirm there is a legal right of way to a public road, not just physical access, since land landlocked without a registered right of way can be difficult to develop or sell on later. Check whether services such as water, wastewater and electricity are available nearby, or whether the site would rely on a private well and a septic tank, which in turn requires a satisfactory site suitability assessment and percolation test before a wastewater system can be approved.
Verify the title and boundaries by checking the folio and filed plan against the physical extent of the land on the ground, ideally with a boundary or topographical survey. It is also worth checking planning history for any existing structures, easements, wayleaves for services crossing the land, and whether the land is affected by flood risk, protected habitats, or archaeological constraints that could affect future development potential.