Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question Nos 187 and 193 of 28 March 2012, if he will clarify the answer (details supplied) [24185/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As indicated in the reply to Questions 187 and 193 of 28 March 2012, part of the process of preparing the National Housing Development Survey 2011 involved the provision by local authorities of details of all unfinished housing developments in their areas. Unfinished housing developments were divided into four categories as follows:

· Category one, where the development is still being actively completed by the developer, or where no serious public safety issues exist;

· Category two, where a receiver has been appointed;

· Category three, where a receiver has not been appointed and the developer is still in place but effectively inactive; and

· Category four, where the development has been effectively abandoned and is posing serious problems for residents.

On foot of the initial correspondence received from each local authority, and further correspondence and clarification between the Housing Inspectorate of my Department and local authorities sector where required, this categorisation formed the basis for the list of those unfinished developments eligible for a waiver on the annual household charge, with only those households in developments in categories three and four eligible for the waiver. The list of developments in which households are eligible for the waiver in 2012 is set out under the Local Government (Household Charge) Regulations 2012; this list forms the full and final list in this regard. A revised list of estates will be prescribed for 2013 after which time the waiver for unfinished housing developments will end. The categorisation process in this regard is currently being finalised and my Department will be in touch with each local authority to establish the composition of this revised list over the coming months. It is anticipated that the numbers of categories 3 and 4 developments will decrease significantly as my Department continues to work with local authorities and other stakeholders to resolve outstanding issues, including through the Public Safety Initiative. The development of Arra View was not included on the final list of those estates which qualify for a waiver on the Annual Household Charge for 2012.