Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State for that information. I referred to the taking in charge of estates earlier but the bonds local authorities have for developments cannot be drawn down until a permission expires. That has a serious impact on the taking in charge of estates. For example, if 80% of an estate is completed and residents are trying to put pressure on the local authority to enforce the conditions of the permission where the deadline for the permission is almost up, the local authority can put pressure on the developer to finish the estate.

If we extend that permission another three or five years, that will lengthen the process for the estate to be taken in charge. The Minister of State has said we do not want to extend permission just to allow developers do nothing for another three or five years, but that will be the consequence of any extensions. As a result, we will have hold ups in the taking in charge of estates. This needs to be addressed.

The bond issue also needs to be addressed. I understand from anecdotal evidence that local authorities do not secure sufficient bonds to ensure that if the estate is seriously deficient in infrastructure, it can be completed. The bonds must be strong enough to be able to ensure proper and full completion of the estate. This is another lesson of the property bubble from which we need to learn and I urge the Minister of State to take it into account.

Part V provisions were mentioned in connection with housing provisions. Throughout the country local authorities have been left with housing stock on their hands. They have been left holding the baby in that regard or have been left in contract to take these houses for which there is no demand in large expansive housing estates. This issue needs to be addressed, but I am not aware whether this Bill does so. Local authority housing taken under Part V provisions was originally taken as part of an integration process for social and affordable housing. Does the Bill allow those Part V houses to be sold and is legislation required to facilitate that or is it just a matter of the local authority requesting the permission of the Department or Minister to sell them or find an alternative use for them? Will the Minister of State clarify that for me today or some other day?

Surplus Part V stock is now being directed towards social housing. With regard to whether local authorities can simply sell off that stock, I do not have that information to hand and will come back to the Deputy on it.