Cyprian Brady (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister to the House and I fully support the motion. Vast development has taken place in Dublin in the last ten years. There were 99,000 planning applications last year alone, with 81,000 completions nationally. Those figures have increased consistently every year.

Inconsistency is the problem with apartment complexes. Some complexes are working perfectly and residents in them are happy with the maintenance and landscaping. In other complexes, however, because of the nature of the management companies involved, there are problems. Consistency in the regulation of such companies as part of planning is an issue that should be debated. In suburban housing estates, there were issues with water treatment but the vast majority of local authorities do not impose regulations on planning permissions related to the appointment of management companies.

I had the dubious honour of receiving a strident letter from a management company after I had canvassed an apartment complex. The issue related to whether it was public or private property and if I should have got permission to canvass in the complex. This is an issue across the city — the question of the land the apartments are built on being public or private arises. This will require legislation and I welcome the fact that the Law Reform Commission working group is looking at the area. Hopefully it will come up with recommendations that will lead to new legislation. The sooner this is done, the better.

In Dublin, apartment complexes are being built in the suburbs, sometimes as part of housing estates and sometimes as stand-alone complexes. That leads to issues with traffic, services and the strains on existing infrastructure. When we look at the added value developers receive as a result of some of the services already in place, it is essential that they make a contribution. In my area, existing communities are being surrounded by development, putting pressure on infrastructure. Developers should make a contribution towards the services required in the area from their profits.

We recently dealt with the Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill and sections of that deal specifically with not overcharging developers through the use of the phrase "shall not require such an amount of financial resources to be committed for the purposes of the condition being complied with as would substantially deprive the person in whose favour the approval under this section operates of the benefits likely to accrue from the grant of the approval". Measures can be taken by legislation or regulation to ensure this is not an issue with developers either.

The value of serviced land has increased horrendously in the last six years and with the amount of development going on at present, it will not decrease in the near future. We can, however, take measures to ensure that contributions that are made are used properly. They should go towards the provision of shops and crèches. The developments that are taking place are putting pressure on existing communities and this is where the contributions come into play.

In Navan there are large housing estates, some of which do not even have a shop or telephone box. People must get a bus to get to the nearest shop. That should not happen and the more pressure put on developers to provide these facilities, the better.

Senator Dardis referred to the purchase of a first house as the most stressful undertaking a person faces in his or her lifetime. It should be made as painless as possible. People are not sure what bills will arrive when they move into their new home because there is no clear requirement to provide a stated bill of charge for management service. There are issues related to the management of apartment complexes that will require legislation at some point. I look forward to hearing the Minister's reply.