Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Walsh for his continuing interest in this project.

The site in Clonakilty was one of the sites released to the affordable housing initiative by Deputy Walsh and I acknowledge both this and the other sites released by him to the initiative during his tenure as Minister for Agriculture and Food. While progress on this site may appear to be slow, Cork County Council, whose responsibility it is to plan and develop this project, states it is advancing this project as speedily as possible. Officials in my Department are in constant contact with the council to monitor progress and to ensure that any obstacles to progress are dealt with. I am aware that senior officials of the Department and the county council have met in Cork recently to discuss this and other affordable housing projects throughout County Cork.

I will not go through the detail of the various steps that have taken place to date, although it is important to mention that a feasibility assessment of the site was deemed necessary in the first instance. Following this and the ensuing public consultation on the outcome of the feasibility study, a proposal to amend the local area plan was advertised and at its meeting on 22 May 2006, the council voted after many objections to approve the amended plan.

While the council considered a number of different options in developing the site, in terms of developing it in one phase or a number of phases, I held the view that the site should be developed in one phase and I am happy that the council is proceeding along these lines. The site will comprise a mix of affordable, social, voluntary and private homes, with 74 of the 104 homes being made available under the affordable housing scheme.

The next stage in the process is to apply for Part 8 planning and the council advertised for expressions of interest from consultants on 22 September 2006, for the preparation of the relevant documentation required for the Part 8 process, and for the preparation of cost plans, tender documentation and construction contract.

Due to the size of the project, the advertisement was also placed in the EU Journal. The closing date for expressions of interest is 31 October 2006 at which stage the council will short-list a number of bidders and proceed with the selection process to select the successful bidder. The next stage will be to apply for Part 8 and the outcome of the planning process will determine when construction can commence on the site. The ultimate aim, as with all projects under the affordable housing initiative, is to give people affordable homes as quickly as possible and I look forward to the day when all 104 homes are occupied and a new vibrant and successful community is in place.

I thank Deputy Walsh for the site and for pressing this matter, locally and nationally. I think I have been successful in increasing the output of affordable homes. However, I need the co-operation of local authority officials and elected members in this regard. The help from the elected members on Cork County Council has been reluctantly dragged out of them, and this applies to Fine Gael members in particular. As I see it, Fine Gael does not want these houses to be ready, or even started, by the date of the next election. They probably will be successful because their delaying tactics and snobbish attitude to this idea from the very beginning will probably see that the work will not start by the date of the election. I am trying and I am pressing the officials in the Department to do all they can, but we have lost many months through these delaying tactics. While I will keep up the pressure, it is quite likely at this stage that the delaying tactics by Fine Gael members on the council have been successful.

I note that Deputy Walsh, like me, would very much like to see the bulldozer even going on site the day before the election, but time is quickly running out and the filibustering and delaying tactics by the county council, and by the elected members in particular, has been successful. I promise Deputy Walsh that I will continue to press the matter, through the officials, with the county council as best I can.

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