Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

Apartment living will constitute a key part in the future of housing in Ireland from a number of perspectives, including spatial policy, efficient land use, sustainability, housing choice and affordability. Successful apartment developments, providing good quality of life, depend on a range of factors, including the standard and quality of the units themselves, the quality of the general living environment, as well as convenience to workplaces etc. A key factor, essential to the success of the sector concerns the quality of management in apartment complexes.

Regarding the local authority's role and my Department's involvement in this area, planning authorities have been advised that they should not attach planning conditions requiring management companies for traditional housing estates, except in very exceptional circumstances. I understand that this advice is now accepted by all planning authorities. A working group chaired by my Department and involving relevant interests has been considering issues relating to the taking in charge of developments, including responsibility for the maintenance of certain shared facilities in newer type mixed estates. It is intended that further guidance for planning authorities, based on the group's deliberations, will be issued shortly.

Management companies are an unavoidable feature of the interdependence that exists in multi-unit developments. It is necessary to have management companies or similar arrangements to manage the common elements of apartment complexes and certain other types of multi-unit developments. On the specific question of management charges, it is important to remember that the charges levied on property owners are determined by the management company of which the owners themselves are the members. I realise that might sound somewhat theoretical, but it ought to be the case.

See this speech in context