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

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. He has raised it repeatedly in the House over the past couple of years, and rightly so. It is very important that the Naas town centre development be progressed. Naas town centre is a vital piece of infrastructure serving the region. It is important that we have a very attractive town that functions well and can provide services to the growing population of the area. I recognise Deputy Durkan's drive and his eagerness to see this long-standing issue relating to this development being brought to a satisfactory resolution. The Deputy has been constantly pushing and raising this matter both formally in the Chamber and also in meetings with myself and other Ministers and officials. He is taking a leading role in having it resolved. I understand this is the third or fourth time we are discussing it here in a formal capacity.

Aas I have mentioned in previous debates on the issue, however, the management of the stalled development is a matter mainly for Kildare County Council in the first instance, although certainly my Department officials have been in a supportive role and have helped where called upon in the attempts to resolve this. Furthermore, with processes under way involving both NAMA and arbitration, it would be entirely inappropriate for either the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government or me as a Minister of State become involved directly in this issue. It would not be appropriate for any Minister in the Department with responsibility for planning matters to make representations on this issue, as Deputy Durkan understands, because under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act, the Minister is precluded from exercising any power or control in respect of any particular case with which a planning authority or An Bord Pleanála is or may be involved, except in very specific and extreme circumstances which do not apply in this case, as Kildare County Council is trying to work through this.

The Deputy is well aware that the hearing of evidence in the High Court in regard to a land title issue on Corban’s Lane, which adjoins the proposed Town Centre, was completed earlier this year and that the relevant judgment is now awaited. Consequently, the arbitration hearing on the land involved cannot recommence until the High Court land title case is resolved. Nevertheless, I am informed that Kildare County Council continues to engage in advanced discussions with NAMA and the receivers in an attempt to ensure that a satisfactory sale of the site in question will come about In this regard, the council has confirmed that it will brief all relevant Oireachtas and municipal district members as soon as there is progress to report. Hopefully, that will be very soon.

As has been outlined to the House in previous parliamentary debates on this topic, subject to a satisfactory planning approval there is no impediment to the appropriate development of the site once the legal issues have been resolved. Kildare County Council fully acknowledges and recognises the strategic importance of the site in the heart of Naas town and continues to support and work in partnership with any stakeholders involved in the site. It is right that they take that leading role. In the past couple of years, the council has initiated and supported a number of projects with the strategic objective of ensuring that the social and economic development of Naas is protected and enhanced. This work is underpinned by the work of the Naas roads and transport steering group, the URBACT group and the Naas regeneration group.

Kildare County Council has also received approval from the National Transport Authority to prepare a traffic management study for Naas, which will form one element of a strategic social and economic plan for Naas and will be instrumental in ensuring good access to the town centre development when it is eventually progressed and completed, which I hope will be very soon.

While I know that the Deputy is utterly frustrated by the length of time it is taking to get this matter resolved arising from the various High Court and arbitration deliberations, I can assure him that the local authority is doing all it can within the parameters of its role and having regard to the difficult circumstances faced. In this connection, we must recognise the due processes that are necessary in respect of the receivership, etc., but I am very hopeful that the relevant issues will be resolved in due course to facilitate the completion of this strategic Naas town centre site.

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