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

I would appreciate it if the Deputy would let me finish. I did not interrupt her.

I said there are a number of mechanisms in place now to ensure this does not happen again. I mentioned that we had almost 3,000 ghost estates in this country, and we have changed the law to ensure that this does not happen again. There are mechanisms to ensure that developers have bonds in place that guarantee that planning permissions will be completed as prescribed. The local authority has the independence to hold them to account on that. That process is clearly set out in legislation. Also, subsequent to that and with regard to the taking-in-charge process, it is clearly set out in the Act that residents can request the local authority to take estates in charge.

The Department has had huge funding streams over the last decade to try to respond to massive remediation plans to install infrastructure in estates throughout the country. Ultimately, however, it is the responsibility of the local authority to do that and to hold to account developers who are required to finish estates to the level that is prescribed in the planning permission.

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