Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the timeframe for the implementation of the national taking in charge initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24001/19]

Aindrias Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there is further information required by his Department which is needed to approve the new national taking in charge initiative; when he expects to invite applications for project bids under the scheme from local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24000/19]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 75 together.

Findings and recommendations from the National Taking In Charge Initiative (NTICI) were included in a report on the initiative that was published by my Department in December 2018. The report is available on my Department's website at the following link: .

The publication of the NTICI report is of value to local authorities and other stakeholders in applying the lessons from the pilot authorities, in a more general roll-out of a streamlined approach to taking-in-charge, including through coordination with capital works by Irish Water. In this regard, my Department is liaising with Irish Water in relation to the report.

Ultimately, progression of individual developments through the taking-in-charge process is a matter for the relevant housing developer, the residents in each such development and the relevant local authority, following the procedures laid out in section 180 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended).

The National Development Plan, published last year, includes provision of €31 million for the period 2018-2021 for developer-provided infrastructure, commencing with a provision of €6 million in 2019. The multi-annual programme will be initiated through the invitation of project bids from local authorities followed by their evaluation by an Expert Panel, set up by my Department, to independently evaluate the bid projects to be approved for funding. It is expected that the invitation of project bids from local authorities will issue shortly, with approval of projects for this first cycle multi-annual programme to take place once proposals submitted have been assessed. My Department's focus has been on progressing the multi-annual rural water programme and priority will now be given to commencing the multi-annual programme for developer-provided infrastructure.