Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his findings as regards using the Derelict Sites Act 1990 for ghost estates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24102/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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We have established and Minister Penrose is chairing the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, Resolving Ireland's Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government's response to the recommendations, Resolving Unfinished Housing Developments. Both documents were published on 9 June 2011 and are available on my Department's website.

The Committee is meeting on a regular basis with the aim of publishing a report on progress achieved within the next 12 months. In the meantime, work is ongoing on implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group including on a focused review of the relevant provisions of existing legislation such as the Derelict Sites Act 1990. The Committee is also preparing to publish, in the coming weeks, a Stakeholders Code of Practice between the representative bodies dealing with unfinished housing developments and a Guide for Residents Living in unfinished housing estates.

At the national level, I am encouraged by the strong consensus and commitment among the key stakeholders who are participating on the Committee and, at the local level, I understand that planning authorities are already making progress in securing the co-operation of developers, financial institutions and/or bondholders in seeking to resolve urgent public safety works and in preparing site resolution plans for these housing developments.