Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would not be comfortable sitting, a Cheann Comhairle.

As the Minister of State will know, sadly, I come from the capital of the country when it comes to unfinished housing estates with four times the national average. Under section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, an estate can be taken in charge through two mechanisms. Either the developer can make a request or the majority of residents in the estate can do so. The original law specified the majority of people who were on the register of electors. This was amended and it is now the majority of the owners. In some cases, there are a substantial number of absentee landlords or people in financial difficulty with banks who cannot get the deeds for the property or do not want to do so. This makes it very difficult, where there is no developer, to have these estates taken into charge. Will the Minister of State amend the legislation?

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