Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the funding assistance, if any, available to local housing associations and or community groups who propose to take over unfinished housing estates within their community with a view to providing social housing and community amenity areas; if she will outline the application process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16765/13]

Anthony Lawlor (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if plans are in place to increase the €5 million fund which is available from his Department to address public safety issues which arise in category four classed unfinished housing estates; if he intends to extend this fund in order to complete public infrastructure in category B estates; the way his Department intends to deal with the issue of unfinished housing estates here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16914/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 801 and 811 together.

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. Real progress is being made with regard to the public safety works required to improve the living conditions of existing residents on some unfinished estates and the Committee is meeting on a regular basis to oversee this effort. Under the Public Safety Initiative for Unfinished Housing Developments my Department has made allocations totalling some €3.877 million to 21 local authorities from the funding made available to address immediate public safety issues. The types of works that have been approved to date include the fencing off of unsecured and hazardous areas, capping of pipes, installation of street lighting and other works to secure sites. To date, a total of €2.515 million has been drawn down by local authorities. It is not considered necessary to allocate any additional funding to this scheme at this time as the funds currently available are adequate to service this initiative.

This funding is targeted at those developments where a developer has abandoned the development and serious public safety concerns exist. In circumstances where a developer is still active it is the responsibility of the local authority planning department to pursue the developer for completion of the development in line with the terms of the original planning permission. Similarly, where a developer is inactive but still in place the enforcement of the planning conditions is a matter for the relevant planning authority.

Under the Capital Advance Leasing Facility, the facility also exists whereby a repayable advance to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) can facilitate such bodies in the acquisition and, if necessary, completion of housing units which would be made available for social housing purposes. These can include housing units in unfinished housing developments. It is open to interested AHBs to make an application to my Department in this regard.