Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not familiar with the exact site although I know the area quite well because I have tried to travel through it but have had to change my route on a couple of occasions due to the Deputy's good work in that area, blocking off certain routes to drivers.

The site has been picked by Dublin City Council. I presume there are plans for a footpath to serve it because it has passed all of our tests and that is part of the planning process. I understand there has been extensive dialogue with local residents and representatives who are understandably interested in what happens on the site and are keen to see that the development is delivered to a high standard and is socially sustainable for the area. This dialogue has resulted in amendments to designs for the planned development and will further inform arrangements for its management and for developing the community. The planning decision has already been made by members of Dublin City Council. The PPP project at Scribblestown is an availability-based PPP model in which a private sector company designs, builds, finances and maintains the social housing units over a 25 year period in return for a monthly unitary payment. The homes will be handed back to the local authority after 25 years in a pre-defined good quality condition. The sites will remain in State ownership for the entire period.

Given that it is an availability based PPP, I have to make clear that it is not possible for me, my Department or the council to agree to a condition that the site be developed using a different model to PPP or with a different density of social mix. It has already gone to tender. These are intrinsic elements of the PPP model being used for social housing. With planning permission not in place we need to move on and deliver homes from all these key sites for local households who need them badly. I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy and he can be assured the site is being developed to meet pressing social housing needs while being fully respectful of the importance of good planning and community practices. I will work with our colleagues to do that as well.

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