Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the figure for the amount of housing completions, planning permissions granted, and financial contributions paid under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 and 2002; and if he has satisfied himself with the implementation of the regulations regarding the financial contributions paid at arbitration to local authorities by developers. [2968/04]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The most recent information on the number of housing units acquired under Part V for each local authority is published in my Department's September quarter 2003 Housing Statistics Bulletin, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Information supplied by local authorities in respect of the first nine months of 2003 indicates that three authorities received payments in lieu totalling €277,833, and two authorities received a total of €129,798 under the withering levy. The latest information available to the Department indicates that 261 planning applications were made to local authorities in 2002 that were subject to Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2002.

The Acts provide that where agreement cannot be reached between the planning authority and the applicant seeking planning permission within an eight week period following the granting of planning permission regarding the number and price of houses or sites, a financial contribution due to the authority in lieu of the transfer of land on site or compensation to be paid by the authority where ownership of land is transferred, the matter may be referred to a property arbitrator for determination. My Department has not been made aware of any difficulties being experienced with these provisions.