Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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163. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether current legislation governing derelict sites is too restrictive when it comes to the rights of residents and communities to attempt to have property owners repair or maintain buildings which are clearly becoming derelict . [20642/13]

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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164. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether the Chapelizod Old Village Association are fighting an uphill struggle to get their village recognised for the tidy towns competition for prize-winning as a result of the dereliction on the main street of Chapelizod comprising local authority and private owned buildings which are detracting from the judges ability to award prizes. [20643/13]

Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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165. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to amend the legislation in order to facilitate serious groups and individuals to challenge property owners to maintain their properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20644/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 to 165, inclusinve, together.

Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become or continue to be a derelict site. To this end, they have been given substantial powers under the Act in relation to any such sites, including powers to require specified measures to be taken in relation to a derelict site, to impose a levy on derelict sites, or to compulsorily acquire any derelict site. I expect local authorities to use their statutory powers as they consider appropriate.

The National Co-ordination Committee on Unfinished Housing Developments identified the Derelict Sites Act as a potential legal instrument that could be used by local authorities as part of a range of measures to deal with the problems generated by, for example, unfinished housing developments.

While I have no plans to amend the Derelict Sites Act at this time, I will keep the need for further legislative reforms to assist local authorities in addressing the issues of dereliction, including unfinished or unoccupied estates, under review.

I would also point out that local authorities have powers under other legislation to deal with derelict sites or structures, for example under the Sanitary Services Act 1963.