Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 357: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding securing unfinished estates (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15213/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I am chairing the National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments to oversee implementation of the Report of the Advisory Group on Unfinished Housing Developments, together with the Government's response to the recommendations. The Committee includes representatives from the Irish Banking Federation, local authorities, the Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency, NAMA and the construction sector.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 and real progress is already being made with regard to the public safety works required to improve the living conditions of existing residents on some unfinished estates. To date, my Department has made allocations totalling €2,548,305 to fifteen local authorities from the funding allocation made available to address immediate safety issues. The types of works that have been approved to date include:

· fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, · capping of pipes, · installation of street lighting, and · other works to secure sites.

Planning authorities are also making progress in securing the co-operation of developers, financial institutions, both domestic and foreign owned, and/or bond holders, thereby obviating the need to use Exchequer resources to fund such work.

The particular estate in question was identified as an unfinished development in accordance with the criteria set out by my Department. It was categorised as being a category 3 estate which means it is an estate where the developer is in place but there is no on-site activity and the developer is responsible for managing the site from a public safety perspective. I understand that a planning application is currently being processed for the retention and completion of the development. I have requested a full report on this tragic accident from Westmeath County Council and a Garda investigation is also underway.