The Minister for Environment is to introduce a standard planning application form to simplify a process he says many people find "mysterious and complicated".
Announcing the proposals today, Mr Cullen said online planning application services would also be introduced as part of Government's plan to deliver a "more people-orientated" system.
He said the target for the introduction of the new proposals was early next year.
The Minister said his Department had received complaints that the regulations are "bureaucratic and contain administrative obstacles" to people using the system.
He said: "There should be standard requirements on a planning application which are common to all local authorities. For a country like ours, a single application form used in all counties will help bring greater certainty."
"We have got to strive towards achieving a planning system that ensures the applicant is the first, not the last person to know what is going on. I believe that these proposals can help achieve this goal," he added.
Local authorities process 80,000 planning applications annually and claim there are a number of unnecessary requirements involved.
The Minister said the new proposals would contribute to a better customer service in the planning system. "We have got to strive towards achieving a planning system that ensures the applicant is the first, not the last person to know what is going on."
Mr Cullen highlighted the importance of achieving Internet delivery of all public services, citing the success of the online facility for paying car tax.
He said: "We tax our car on the Internet, bank on the Internet, book flights on the Internet so there is no reason why we should not have the option to apply for planning on the Internet."
"Some local authorities have taken steps towards this, but the level of progress is different across the country."
"We have commenced discussions with the Local Government Computer Services Board and local authorities to secure the delivery of online planning services nationwide," Mr Cullen said.
