Brendan Ryan (Labour)

I do not wish to go over ground that has been covered, but unfinished estates constitute a major problem. I live and operate in Fingal, where this has been a significant problem for years. Notwithstanding the Minister of State's assertion that the local authority has powers to deal with it, the council is obviously not using those powers. Should we be happy that authorities are not using their powers and allow the problem to continue or could we be more explicit, insert these powers in the legislation and leave people in no doubt? Even if local authorities have the powers in question, I do not see the problem with including this condition on unfinished estates in the Bill.