Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for facilitating me in the raising of this issue, one I have raised in the House previously. The issue relates to the extent to which the county town of Naas in County Kildare has been affected by the economic downturn. The various efforts that have been made to address this issue so far have been unsuccessful, despite the best intentions of all involved.

The purpose of raising this issue is to encourage the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to use his powers of persuasion with the local authorities to try to achieve some movement on the procedures that have been stalled. Arbitration has moved extremely slowly over recent years and is now stalled again and postponed for another year. This means we must see the continual reminder of the tower cranes stalled like animal predators on the skyline. These stalled cranes are symbolic of what has happened. Despite the best efforts of the local authorities, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the business people of Naas, we have not been able to move the project ahead and return to a situation where we can see movement taking place.

Usually, the sight of tower cranes over a town, village or city is a sign of growth, activity, development and economic well-being. Unfortunately, the dinosaurs that are now hovering over the town of Naas do not give that impression at all. With each passing day and week, there is greater recognition by the people, business people in particular, that something must be done to get movement going again. Despite the fact considerable efforts have been made so far in this regard, we need to renew our efforts. It is for this reason I am asking the Minister of State to consider carefully how it might be possible for his Department to intervene in a positive way to nudge the powers that be in the direction required to bring about a restoration of activity and bring to an end this blight that has befallen the town of Naas, the leading provincial town of County Kildare, which is bedevilled by the impact of the downturn in the economy, as symbolised by the immobilised cranes. I appeal to the Minister of State to do his utmost to contact all the bodies concerned with a view to bringing procedures to a satisfactory conclusion.

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Durkan for raising this issue and giving me the opportunity to outline the position regarding the town centre development in Naas. I am familiar with this issue as I saw it raised in a television programme. I understand the Deputy's concerns and the importance of moving forward on the issue for the benefit of the community of Naas. The Deputy has set out a view of Naas that people would like to see changed to make it a progressive and developing town.

The proposed development is, unfortunately, one of the casualties of the recent economic recession in that it was proposed to commence at the wrong time, just as the economy went into decline in the late 2000s. As a consequence, it has been stalled since. This is a shame because as it is a town centre and it should be developed before areas outside the town are developed. Numerous other developments of this nature, as well as town centre areas, were similarly affected by the decline in economic activity over the past decade. This is one of the many legacy issues we as a country have had to face arising from the economic collapse of the late 2000s from which we are only now beginning to recover.

I am informed by Kildare County Council that the securing of a satisfactory conclusion to the development of the Naas town centre site is a priority issue for the council and that the progression and reactivation of the development has been a particular focus of its efforts over recent years, this with a view to assisting in the revitalisation of the central part of Naas, the main town in County Kildare. The Department has also been keen to see that development. The Deputy is correct that there is interest on all sides in the development, but we need to find some way to make it happen. I will use whatever powers I can to help on this issue and to try to move the project along. I do not have a direct role, but I will try to do what I can.

In this regard, the council has advised that on foot of arbitration procedures, it recently successfully completed an agreement with one of two site owners relating to the provision of roads infrastructure to service the town centre site. The arbitration case relating to the second site owner remains to be heard by the property arbitrator, but I understand that the hearing in this case is delayed due to the property arbitrator's current caseload. We will look to see what we can do to make progress in this regard because the long delay is unsatisfactory. The remainder of the stalled town centre development in Naas is in NAMA, but I understand that the council, in parallel with the arbitration proceedings, has been engaged in ongoing discussions with relevant parties with a view to advancing development of the site at the earliest possible date.

I should point out that my role as Minister of State in regard to planning and development generally is to provide and update the legislative and policy guidance framework as required, including in regard to national urban policy. In this context, numerous measures were initiated by the previous Government to assist in the rejuvenation of town centre areas and to help businesses located there. Such measures included reduced contribution levies for town centre developments, assistance with rates, and efforts to promote and support, through the new planning guidelines, the vitality and viability of city and town centres. In this respect, I will use whatever powers I have in my new role to try to help progress this development. We will consider additional input if necessary as this is an issue that needs to be progressed.

I do not have a direct role in regard to the progression of individual sites, but in general we need to see this happen. I will certainly help where I can. The Department is keen to see progress and has been working with the council to try to make this happen. We will continue to communicate on that and will try to give it a push forward. It is hoped we will have some success.