asked the Minister for Local Government if the new shopping centre in the Ballymun housing scheme, Dublin is to be contracted out to a private developer; and how shops will be allocated.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Ballymun Shopping Centre.
46.
In order to ensure that a full range of shopping facilities will be provided, and that the development will be satisfactorily phased and integrated, it is envisaged that the shopping facilities in the Ballymun town centre will be provided by a selected developer on an agreed basis. The town centre project was publicised by my Department last August and competent developers were invited to express an interest in undertaking the project. A number of developers who responded have since been invited to submit, and have submitted, outline planning and financial proposals, and these proposals are at present actively under consideration.
It is my intention, when a suitable developer has been selected, to make a recommendation to Dublin Corporation in regard to the terms for the leasing of the town centre site to enable the development to proceed.
The developer who carries out the project will be responsible for arrangements for the letting of shops and other commercial premises in the town centre.
Mr. O'Leary
Could the Minister say what criteria they will, in fact, use in choosing a developer for this rather important development? Can he say if there will be any restriotion on a foreign developer coming into this particular scheme? Has his Department any particular attitude in regard to foreign developers coming in here? Will a situation arise in which this developer will be in charge of the letting of the shops and how will the shops be let?
Different proposals will be before the Department but the developer will be selected on the basic of the best deal from the point of view of the residents and the local authority.
Would the Minister say if his Department and the corporation will be afforded an opportunity of examining into the services this developer will arrange for the Ballymun scheme?
That has been decided. That was specified to the proposers.
Dublin in recent years has become a happy hunting ground for cross-Channel developers. The position is very serious. Is there any possibility of restricting this kind of development to Irish companies?
There is no such provision in relation to this. I do not see that there would be any objection to outside capital being used in the provision of this scheme.
Is the Minister aware that, if this is the attitude, it is quite possible this foreign development company might, in fact, put up a mammoth supermarket in this area? As he knows, the Irish distributive trade is already falling more and more into foreign hands. Surely he and his Department should bear in mind the national objective of keeping national development in national hands instead of letting it fall into the hands of foreigners?
I do not know what safeguards it may be possible to take in that connection but, as I said, I do not think it would be objectionable if capital from outside this country were used in the particular development.
The policy is to sell the country piecemeal.
There is no question of selling the country.
Indeed there is—lumps of it.
It is a question of a great deal of work to be done with the capital available.
This is developing into an argument.