John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the circumstances under which local authorities may dispose of land and criteria that apply; and his plans to put in place a requirement to ensure that competitive tenders are sought. [30415/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Local authorities are empowered to dispose of land in accordance with section 211 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and Article 206 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001. In general, any land previously acquired by a local authority may be sold, leased or exchanged subject to such conditions as the local authority considers necessary in order to secure the best use of that land.

Where the local authority is of the opinion that price or rent obtained for the land in question is not the best reasonably obtainable, the manager must prepare a report setting out the economic and social reasons which apply in relation to the disposal of land and include this in the notice given to the members of the authority. The notice and report must also be made available for public inspection at the local authority offices for a period of one year. Otherwise the Minister's consent is required. My Department has no proposals to amend the relevant legislation.