Results 3,801-3,820 of 4,491 for speaker:John Perry

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: To whom is the Housing Agency accountable? Is it the Comptroller and Auditor General?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Does it come under the Department's remit?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: There is a huge demand for social housing at present and there is a massive land bank available. Perhaps Mr. John McCarthy will explain from where that land came. In light of the number of transfers to the Housing Finance Agency - some people availed of this process but others did not - and if one considers the level of indebtedness among local authorities and their inability to pay, one...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Would Mr. John McCarthy describe the land aggregation scheme as a mini-NAMA, particularly in the context of the site valuations realised by those who were very fortunate to avail of it? Quite a number of people were excluded from the terms of the scheme. Have more up-to-date valuations been made in respect of the lands involved, especially as many of them are not even zoned for residential...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: In his opening statement Mr. McCarthy referred to the condition that there would be no plans for the sites that were transferred to the land aggregation scheme. Is that not a most unusual statement in light of the fact that there has proved to be no development on any of the sites that have been transferred? Why was that stipulation put in? One would assume it would have been the direct...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: What was the plan? This stipulation was in place. Who had the responsibility for developing the land aggregated sites that are now transferred? Whose responsibility is that?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: The Housing Finance Agency had guarantees given by the State in respect of the loan of €800 million. Ultimately, who signed the guarantee for that? Was it a representative of the Department?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: What happens in the case of a default? If a local authority cannot pay, is the Department next in line? Does it have a collateral note on this?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Some purchased land is not suitable for development. A total of 25 sites that originally cost €37 million were rejected by the Department for inclusion in the scheme. Were they not approved by the Department originally?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: This is very much an inherited difficulty. However, at the moment there is a great demand for social housing. There is a cap for buy-to-let arrangements and so on of up to €220,000. We all have strategies but what people want is immediate action. Strategies can take a long time in terms of planning, design and rezoning. Many of these lands have been taken out of the zoning area....

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Let us deal with the reality at the moment in respect of the Housing Finance Agency, its land bank and the attached indebtedness. Apparently, in 2007 the Department approved the purchase of €80 million worth of land at inflated prices. Then there was a severe downturn in the market. Only two sites purchased in 2007 have been included in the scheme. Is the debt attached to the land...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: My final question on this chapter relates to the Housing Finance Agency and the major indebtedness in respect of the non-performing local authorities at the moment. They have a plan to build social housing. Who is going to finance it?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: They are paying interest-only and not repaying the principal. There is a question over the zoning of the lands. They are quite valueless. Would due diligence not be done on the portfolio of lands owned by a local authority to select what would be suitable and to have a plan of action, not to categorise all the land as unsuitable? I would be amazed if the Department approved the acquisition...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: I see one example here, that in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown the county council purchased a 3.2 hectare site for €8.8 million in 2001. The site was transferred into the scheme and the council was able to recoup €10.25 million. What has happened with that site? We are not talking about Leitrim or parts of Sligo; this is in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. One would imagine a site...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Who is the driving agent? There are questions at the moment about how NAMA deals with certain properties, but it is being aggressive in how it disposes of and develops properties. With the uptick in the economy and affordability, who is the driving force behind all these 775 hectares? There will have to be complete due diligence, a plan of action, and so on - all those strategies and...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: How many over-----

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Is there a clear plan of action to deal with this? The fact that people are looking for houses shows that the construction sector needs to build. There are sites. There has been total inaction. Is Mr. McCarthy confident that within 12 months there will be a plan of action for all these dormant sites?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: There is a lot of uncertainty in Kilkenny or Sligo or wherever the land is held with local authority members, with the CEOs of the county and the whole new local authority structure. Can Mr. McCarthy not give a clear plan of action for all the sites in every county in order that he can say what is going to happen in Sligo, what is the land bank there and the plan associated with it to give...

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: Can the Department contact the local authorities on that note?

Public Accounts Committee: Vote 25 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government
Chapter 6 - Land Aggregation Scheme
Chapter 7 - Matters Arising from Audit of Vote 25 - Environment, Community and Local Government in Relation to Water Services (5 Feb 2015)

John Perry: I have one question on Irish Water. The statutory responsibilities have been transferred to Irish Water. Is that correct?