Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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138. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the €323,102,783 cash balance of development contributions held by local authorities but which has not been spent, the amount that was paid in relation to water and wastewater services; if this money can be accessed by local authorities now that Irish Water has taken over responsibility for these services; if this is part of the service-level agreements in place between Irish Water and local authorities; the way local authorities are pursuing the outstanding €394,157,880 of development contributions owed but not paid; the amount that has been written off each year in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44674/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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Development contributions are a key part of securing investment in enabling infrastructure required to facilitate future development. A planning authority may, when granting a permission under section 34 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), include conditions requiring the payment of a contribution in respect of public infrastructure and facilities benefiting development in the area of the planning authority. Information on the amounts that were paid in relation to water and wastewater services is not available in my Department.

Local authorities have been working for some time on a water balancing statement which outlines the financial position at the end of 2013. Irish Water commenced a due diligence exercise with each local authority and, subject to the resolution of some individual outstanding issues, the balances will transfer to Irish Water. Development contributions are being analysed as part of this exercise.

Where any payments in respect of development contributions are not settled, such payments may be pursued by the planning authority through the courts as a contract debt and, until such time as amounts outstanding are discharged in full, the conditions of the relevant planning permission have not been met and the development is unauthorised. Information on the amounts written off is not available in my Department.