Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Senator mentioned she had spoken to the Department of Finance. I clarified that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has responsibility and that the OPW is the section of that Department which deals with this. Second, a company can be restored for up to 20 years after dissolution. That is the reason the State is reluctant to carry out any development or works on bits of land it may own during that period.

With respect to taking in charge, the note I have tells me that ownership by the State does not prevent these areas being taken in charge by local authorities and that it is a complex legal area. It is a question for local government. It should be asked directly of the executive, the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, or the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I would be happy to help with any other question the Senator wants to send to me or to the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan.

As a former councillor, I was involved in many taking in charge episodes, ransom strips, pieces of land and disputes between neighbours over small pieces of land. I understand that even if it does not have a particular financial value, it can have a significant social value or cause a lot of disruption within a community.