Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is provision in the Act for housing estates that have not been taken in charge in terms of what action the residents can take to compel the local authority to commence the process. It is up to the local authority then to judge the development in terms of the completion to the prescribed planning permission.

Over the past decade we had to respond to in excess of 3,000 ghost estates and put in key public infrastructure to underwrite them on foot of a significant recession in this country where the economy crashed and the Department had to grapple with it.

Now the process is in place. The Act is robust and strong. Essentially, to answer the Deputy's specific question, the residents have a mechanism there clearly set down in the Act in terms of the expiry of four years of the planning permission where they can take action and request the local authority to take the estate in charge.

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