Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a Government TD who has supported housing, I welcome the 69 new units which will be developed in Cappaghfinn and launched by Fingal County Council very soon. The real regret is that in order for anyone to access that estate, for the cathaoirleach of Fingal County Council to cut the ribbon or for me to attend the opening ceremony or indeed for many of the families to enter the estate and to live there they would have to travel through the Heathfield estate. We all know the issue of estates that have not been taken in charge by local authorities, but for more than a decade this estate has suffered from all the classic characteristics we see in estates that have not been taken in charge: the roads are unfinished in many places and need to be resurfaced; there are green spaces and undeveloped spaces which are unsafe for children and which pose an eyesore in the community; there are footpaths that are unfinished; and there is a playground that is in a perilous state, a really dangerous state, but for which the equipment is there.

It is very simple: Fingal County Council has not moved quickly on this estate over the decades. I think we accept that. I have no doubt but that the new development has given the council an impetus. As recently as Christmas, an area was cleared and separated with hoarding. A planning enforcement notice has been issued against the developer in respect of the site. There is an unfinished element of it where three retail units were due to be developed.

In some ways I am scratching my head as to how on the floor of the Dáil I am raising all these issues with a Government Minister, but I implore him to do everything he can in order to ensure that Fingal County Council takes those necessary steps in order to take the estate in charge and to help resolve some of those issues.

In no way do I expect the developer to get off the hook on its financial obligations, nor do I expect the local authority to take on those responsibilities. We have to be realistic, however, that after more than a decade there will be things which will be done and things which will not be done. In order for us to maintain this community in a manner in which it should be maintained and allow the new residents who will drive over these roads that are not completed, Fingal County Council must do what it needs to do in order to secure the estate. The residents there are incredibly frustrated. I met with them there just two weeks ago, on a Saturday morning. I expected there to be two or three residents when, in fact, more than 25 came out to meet me. People are really frustrated, they are angry and they are giving up. They cannot concentrate on nice things like family fun days, clean-ups and really good work in terms of environmental projects because the very basics are not there. Also, they do not have the trust and confidence to work with the local authority, and we know that many community groups need that trust and confidence to do really good stuff in their areas. We therefore need to allow them move on, do the work and welcome their new neighbours into the estate, but to do all that Fingal County Council has a lot of work to do. I hope the Minister and the Government will assist them in doing that.

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