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

I fully accept Deputy Durkan’s desire that this long-running matter, which is an unfortunate legacy of our recent economic recession and is impacting on the further development of Naas, be progressed and completed as soon as is practically possible in order that the expanding town of Naas can achieve its full potential. If we can help bring Naas back to its former glory through our urban regeneration fund, we will certainly do that.

As I indicated earlier, it would be inappropriate for me as Minister of State, or the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to become involved or make any further comment on the matter while a number of processes are under way. In any event, we are precluded in law from becoming involved in specific planning cases. However, we will try to help around that and when it is sorted out, we will be able to step in and do as much as we possibly can.

As regards the availability of only one individual arbitrator across the entire State and the ensuing backlog of hearings, I have no direct role in that matter and I understand from my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, that he has no official role either in regard to it. However, the appointment of property arbitrators is a matter for the Land Values Reference Committee, which comprises the Chief Justice, the President of the High Court and the President of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

Under the Property Values (Arbitration and Appeals) Act 1960, the reference committee may appoint one or more persons as property arbitrators but the Minister has no role in those or in other policy or operational matters. If Deputy Durkan wishes to follow up on this issue, he should contact the secretary to the Land Values Reference Committee, who is based in the Supreme Court Office in the Four Courts. I do not have the telephone number the Deputy asked me for but that is the person he needs to contact.

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