Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. To add to other factors to which I did not refer, even though very little activity and development is taking place, a lot of landowners saw that at the height of the boom property was worth X. For emotional or personal banking reasons they still think it is worth X. We are the only buyer in town. If the State or a local authority is involved there can be a perception that there is no end to the amount of money that can be spent because we have our hands on other people's money through the taxpayer. I do not want to deride the public sector for its profligacy, but some landowners have no difficulty in charging a price that is way above market value for the land on which we are trying to build. Getting deals over the line for acquisition is a problem. Implementing planning conditions that are too onerous and costly is also an issue.

There are also difficulties in the vagaries of building programmes. However, I assure the Deputy that there is no loss. We have an agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to carry over the money. Some of the carryover moneys went to the stimulus package I announced recently. It is frustrating and a matter of concern. We need to have some kind of national debate about it.

Strategic infrastructure legislation would deal with third party appeals. There is a case in Tallaght where a site was allocated in the area development plan for a school which we want to expand. However, neighbours have become so used to the site which has been unbuilt on for so long that they regard it as their personal park and are now objecting to the school being built on the land which was originally intended to be used for the school.