Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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91. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when the review of the taking in charge initiative measure 2 will be published; the level of funding that will be available in measure 2; when it will reopen for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47179/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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My Department launched the National Taking-in-Charge Initiative (NTICI) in April 2016 to trial new approaches and working methods in supporting and accelerating overall national and local action on the process for taking-in-charge housing estates, including estates with developer-provided water services infrastructure (DPI). Under the terms of the NTICI, which was underpinned by €10 million in funding, developments subject to valid taking-in-charge applications were eligible for inclusion in the associated call for funding proposals. Ultimately, €7.5 million of the allocated funding was paid to local authorities in respect of 330 developments, containing some 14,930 homes.

Findings and recommendations from the NTICI process will be included in a report on the initiative that it is intended to publish shortly. The publication of the NTICI report will be of value to local authorities and other stakeholders in applying the lessons from the pilot programme in a more general roll-out of a streamlined approach to taking-in-charge, including through coordination with capital works by Irish Water.

In addition, the National Development Plan includes a provision of €31 million for DPI in the period 2018-2021, demonstrating the Government's commitment to transition from the pilot phase under NTICI to a programme phase.

My Department intends to write to local authorities to advise them of the future funding arrangements for DPI-type housing estates that are not taken in charge, following the publication, shortly, of the review report on the 2016 NTICI.