Camillus Glynn (Fianna Fail)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. He is very welcome back to Seanad where he spent many years. These statements afford us an opportunity as Members of the Oireachtas to welcome the initiative the Minister of State has taken in having the survey completed. The in-depth survey provides the diagnosis and the prescription and it is important to know the problem. The report was prepared by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government working with key stakeholders and involved a survey conducted by the Department's housing inspectors of all housing developments of two or more dwellings built or granted planning permission in recent years that had commenced by the time of the survey. It was initiated in May, completed in September and is the first independent field-based analysis of housing developments throughout the State.

In 2,846 developments construction had commenced but had not been completed. These developments translate into 179,273 housing units for which planning permission was granted. Of the 2,846 developments inspected, only 429, 15%, are active. While it is difficult to be precise about the exact number of housing units approved in total on all these developments, estimates suggest it is 179,273 dwellings. Some 78,195 dwellings in the developments surveyed are completed and occupied. Some 23,250 dwellings are completed and vacant, 9,976 are not complete and 9,854 are at various earlier stages of construction, from site clearance to foundations up to wall plate level. Planning permission has been granted for a further 58,025 dwellings that have not commenced and therefore do not pose immediate construction or site difficulties.

With regard to the estates that have been completed, for my 31 years in public life I have always complained about snagging in estates. There have been serial offenders in this regard. Certain developers move into an area, construct an estate and then leave the estate with, perhaps, broken footpaths, flooding on roads and a myriad of problems, especially in public areas such as the play areas for children. Most new estates will have a young population. I commend the planning enforcement departments of all the local authorities for getting to grips with these problems and tracking down the developers. Some of them are very good at disappearing. Planning enforcement is now, quite correctly, a very relevant and active part of every local authority. There might be a legislative void to cater for those serial offenders who have not completed estates but they should be denied further planning permission for developments. If they have not completed a previous development to an acceptable standard as laid down by the planning authority, they should get no further planning permission.

There is a good aspect to the issue of all these houses that are finished and unoccupied and even the ones that have not been completed. Housing is a very valuable asset. This situation affords local authorities an opportunity to cater for the unacceptable numbers on housing waiting lists. The housing lists are too long. I strongly support the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, and the movement away from rent subsidies. While rent supplement might have had a role in the past, it has outlived its usefulness. The RAS is a more positive development.

Cork was found to be the worst county for ghost estates, with 2,681 complete and vacant properties. Dublin city was close behind, with 2,536, while Waterford city was least affected with only 53 complete and vacant properties. Counties in the midlands such as Westmeath, Laois, Longford and Roscommon are also badly affected. One reason given for this was the introduction of property tax incentives in these counties. According to the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, however, fewer than 10% of the unfinished estates were built with tax breaks. That explodes the myth put forward by certain people.

The comprehensive survey of more than 2,800 multi-unit housing development sites in every city and county provides a clear picture of the extent and scale of unfinished housing developments, the issues arising and the basis on which a clear package of actions to address and resolve both systemic and individual issues can be developed. Armed with this evidence, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is initiating an action plan which will address planning, housing, building control and other matters relating to unfinished housing estates.

Existing legislation such as the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and the litter legislation of 1997 and 2003, along with planning legislation, can be used to ensure developers and the owners of sites engage with local authorities in addressing specific difficulties. There was a debate some time ago in the Oireachtas Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government about the Derelict Sites Act. The legislation is under-used, as is the dangerous buildings legislation. Local authorities should be mercenary, if I may use that word, in getting rid of these eyesores. There was an example of what can happen in Mullingar town where there was a long-standing vacant site. When the local authority applied pressure, the owner applied for planning permission. The planning permission was not acted upon, however, and lapsed, whereupon the process was repeated. If there is a void in the legislation, we must fill it.

The recent Planning and Development (Amendment) Act contains an important amendment providing for the extension of planning permission for a period of up to five years in circumstances where substantial works have not been carried out but where there were commercial, economic or technical considerations beyond the control of the applicant which substantially mitigated against either the commencement of development or the carrying out of substantial works. This was an important improvement in planning legislation. I was personally supportive of the measure and a number of my constituents have sought to avail of that provision.

It has been a key priority of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government for some time to move people away from the rent supplement scheme to the rental accommodation scheme. As I said earlier, this is an important policy. The number of unsold houses lying idle which will come under the auspices of the National Asset Management Agency, NAMA, offers enormous opportunities in terms of leasing unsold stock by local authorities for social housing purposes. I hope local authorities will step up to the plate and make use of this bonanza. I accept that local authorities are strapped for money but this is an opportunity that is too good to pass up. I have referred to the unacceptable numbers on the housing waiting lists.

The new planning and development legislation will put an end to the bad planning that has resulted in a deterioration of the quality of life for those living in housing estates without any facilities, schools or proper public transport. Planning applications which have no regard for infrastructure are brought before local authorities. Councillor Ken Glynn and others on Westmeath County Council have regularly asked questions about schools and the number of school places available to accommodate a development if it proceeds, much to the discomfort of some developers. I am not anti-developer. I believe developers are important people, especially when they behave in an appropriate way.

There is no doubt that planning has at times been inconsistent with national, regional and local authority planning guidelines. The Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2010 has put an end to this and will ensure greater coherence between national, regional and local guidelines. That Act is part of the Government's commitment to build in Ireland's smart economy a framework for sustainable rural development.

I welcome what the Minister of State has done in his capacity of responsibility for housing. It is an important step in the right direction. We have a long way to go but there is a window of opportunity now and I am confident he will encourage local authorities to step into the breach. They have a significant role to play on this issue. I thank the Minister of State for his comments on this important matter.