Ciarán Cuffe (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party)

I take that point but the last thing we want to do is rush headlong into proposing solutions when we have not adequately or accurately analysed the scale of the problem in the first instance. Last week, I took it upon myself not only to address the Irish Planning Institute conference but to spend an entire day listening to the various papers it put forward. There were very good addresses by some county planners from throughout the country, by the likes of Bill Nolan, pointing out the various aspects of the challenges we face. There was anecdotal evidence suggesting the scale of completely unfinished estates is not as high as some fairly strong headlines have suggested in recent days and we need to be careful on that. However, there is an onus on developers to carry out the development in accordance with the plans submitted and the local authority or the planning authority can take action based on that.

I am glad to state with regard to the loans taken over by the National Assets Management Agency, that it has a planning sub-committee headed by Willie Soffe, the former Fingal county manager. It will examine some of the planning aspects of the problem. The first port of call for individuals with unfinished facilities is their legal representatives but they can and should approach the local authority to ensure the planning conditions are being complied with, and look to the developers. Many of these developments do not come under the National Assets Management Agency and the matter can be taken up under civil law with the respective developer. Deputy Terence Flanagan knows as I do that very often an approach can be made to the developer in the first instance to try to address the outstanding issues, whether it be sewerage, lighting or roads. If issues of public safety are raised I would urge the home owner to go directly to the local authority because there is a range of legislation under which the local authority or the planning authority can take action.

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