Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)

One of the problems with derelict sites relates to title difficulties. Local authorities have a power to resolve this by using CPOs to assist developers. We do not seem to have been successful in getting local authorities to engage with people. If they did engage, I am of the view that many of the issues that obtain could be resolved.

The other issue that needs to be resolved in the constituency and Deputy Gould and I represent relates to Blackpool. Development cannot take place because the flood relief programme for which we identified a need 12 years ago is still sitting on someone's desk. The people who want to develop cannot get insurance for flood relief and have difficulty in borrowing money for their projects as a result.

These are two issues that the Department should be dealing with in conjunction with local authorities, namely assisting people to resolve title difficulties by using the CPO powers and going back to the developer to resolve the title issues and implementing the flood relief programme for Blackpool that was drawn up 12 years ago and that is still sitting on someone's desk, with nothing done about it.

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