Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

-----by sticking to the generalities of the case. As the Deputy said, there is devolved power in this case. It is a devolved power to take in charge, following a majority vote from the residents of the estate. Second, there is the power to set budgets. Fingal County Council sets its own rates and it has a large rates base, including the airport. It also sets its own property taxes. In doing so, it can decide then how it will spend its money. It is not good to leave an estate unfinished or to leave it in a way which is leaving people to have a poor quality of life and so on, and the Deputy has described in detail what the issue is there.

The taking in charge of housing estates is a reserved function of elected members of local authorities and it is also a reserved function of local authorities to set their budgets. These are important functions that the elected members of a local authority are responsible for and oversee. Therefore, ultimately, the progression of individual developments through the taking-in-charge process is a matter for the relevant housing developer, the owners of the properties in such developments and the relevant local authority to consider on a case-by-case basis, following the procedures set out in section 180 of the Planning and Development Act.

I will take the Deputy's frustration to the Minister and I would say to any local authority, including Fingal County Council, that it is responsible for taking in charge of estates, particularly in a case where the residents wish it to be taken in charge, where it has not been taken in charge for a long period, where there is any sense that it is unsafe or where it is leading to poor quality of life. Local authorities should set their policies around taking in charge appropriately and they should use their budgets appropriately and direct them towards resolving that situation.

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