Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Donohoe for raising this important issue. The Government's commitment to social housing supports the development of sustainable communities in existing local authority estates through various improvement and regeneration initiatives. Regeneration is focused on addressing social, educational and economic disadvantage experienced in some of the most challenging areas of the country.

My Department supports an ambitious regeneration programme for which Exchequer funding of €190 million was allocated in 2009 alone, with projects ongoing in Dublin and other cities and towns throughout the State. The scope of the projects varies significantly, depending on the size of the estates involved and the particular challenges of the areas concerned. Regardless of scale, each project addresses not just the physical improvements to the estate but also facilitates vital social inclusion measures.

In regard to the regeneration programme for O'Devaney Gardens, Dublin City Council is engaged in a process to decide the most appropriate type of regeneration proposal for the area and how the project should now be delivered. I understand work has been under way in 2009 on the council's December 2008 master plan document. The first phase of the project will be lodged as a planning application to An Bord Pleanála in accordance with section 175 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended. An environmental impact statement will accompany the phase one submission and will assess that proposal and the cumulative impact of the overall master plan. Work has commenced on the environmental impact plan and the environmental assessment of the master plan

A scoping report will be submitted by the council to An Bord Pleanála in December 2009 in accordance with section 117 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. Feedback from An Bord Pleanála is valuable at this stage of the project as it will allow any concerns to be addressed before an application is lodged. The council is beginning a series of local area consultations from this evening to keep the on-site and adjoining residential community updated and to ascertain their views. This consultation work is valuable to ensure the planning application, when lodged, can take appropriate account of significant issues raised by the residents and local community. Dublin City Council is committed to this consultation process and will continue it at key milestones in the project.

A series of briefings and consultations with all relevant stakeholders and Departments, including my Department, will be arranged shortly by Dublin City Council to show progress and the emerging plans for the site. It will then be a matter for the council to prioritise the project in the context of its future social housing investment programme and to submit a formal proposal in the usual way to the Department for project approval and funding from within future annual funding allocations. My Department continues actively to support the council in delivering its broad range of housing and regeneration programmes.

It was a source of regret to us all that the original public private partnership proposal for O'Devaney Gardens did not proceed. When I visited the community I was encouraged by the outlook of the residents, many of whom are living in unacceptable conditions. I assure the Senator that I will afford this project priority within the Department's budget once it is submitted as a priority project by Dublin City Council.