Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Again, these are matters I have dealt with in my local authority area over the years. It is hugely frustrating for residents who buy houses in estates in good faith. It is frustrating for local authorities too. I will speak to the note and then we can come back in with supplementary comments if that is okay.

Amendment No. 625 provides that the conditions requiring the giving and maintaining of adequate security for satisfactory completion of a proposed development, which is currently provided for, will specify that any bonds accepted by the planning authority as a form of security will be index linked, provided by operators regulated by the Central Bank and sufficient to cover the cost of satisfactory completion of the development. In 2013, my Department issued Circular PL 11/13 outlining and setting out key requirements to be adhered to by the planning authorities with regard to attaching of conditions to planning permissions regarding planning securities, including development bonds for the satisfactory completion of residential housing developments. This circular letter issued a number of forms the security could take and stated that it is a matter for the relevant planning authority to decide what type of security to require as part of the terms of the planning permission from the listed options. I am satisfied that this is the correct approach and, therefore, I cannot accept amendment No. 625.