Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State is welcome back to the House. I would like to raise the ongoing delays with taking-in-charge applications that residents of housing estates and local authorities are encountering. The taking in charge of residential estates is the statutory responsibility of the planning authority under section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. However, Uisce Éireann, Irish Water, has particular responsibility for the servicing of these estates. Irish Water states that it is co-operating with planning authorities nationally to access the taking in charge of residential estates and the transfer of water service assets located in these estates to Uisce Éireann for ongoing operation and maintenance. However, all over the country residents in many housing estates are finding the process of their estates being taken in charge by local authorities to be a very long and frustrating one. Many of these residents are being told that the process is being held up by Irish Water and when I talk to local authorities that claim is backed up. Money has been spent on these developments to bring them up to the required standard and yet residents find themselves still waiting. When they contact Irish Water they get the standard response to say that the query has been assigned to a certain team member. Unfortunately the delay goes on in these instances.

In County Monaghan queries are being raised in estates in the five main towns of Monaghan, Carrickmacross, Castleblayney, Ballybay and Clones, as well as in estates in several villages. Some 28 housing estates in the county are in a state of limbo for that same reason. I am led to believe that the situation is mirrored across many other parts of the country. Thousands of people are left in this limbo situation, therefore. I understand that Irish Water needs to take time to check out the infrastructure and all of that, but having said that, it still does not explain the long delays people are encountering. From my inquiries with local authorities, they too are relaying their frustration at the fact that the process is taking so long. I do not know whether it is the case that Irish Water is short on personnel to bring these matters forward but there is clearly something seriously wrong here when a small county like Monaghan would have 28 estates with Irish Water awaiting decisions. That clearly indicates that there is a problem.

It is a big problem for the local authorities and it is a bigger problem for many of the residents who find themselves living in these estates. As the Minister of State would know, some of them would like to dispose of their properties and they understand that certain solicitors and financial institutions would have issues with money being raised for somebody to purchase a house on an estate when it has not been taken in charge by the local authority. Solicitors would have other issues and concerns with clients hoping to purchase one of these properties and they may be advising their clients in many cases not to do so. It is a serious problem and it is holding up many people. I would like to hear that perhaps the Minister of State can give me some comfort that the Department is aware that the problem exists, and more importantly, that the Department, being aware of the problem, is addressing the issue with whatever action is necessary in order to expedite these housing estates across the length and breadth of the country being taken in charge.