asked the Minister for the Environment the reason for the exceptionally long delays in dealing with compulsory purchase orders issued by local authorities requiring land for building local authority houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Compulsory Purchase Order Delays.
24.
I do not accept that in the normal way there are exceptionally long delays in dealing with these orders in my Department. The procedures governing compulsory acquisition of land are designed to safeguard the interests of the persons affected, to ensure that they are dealt with fairly and, as far as possible, to avoid unnecessary hardship. Some delay is inevitable in the case of a compulsory purchase order involving a public inquiry. Objections put forward at the inquiry have to be fully and carefully considered as well as the general purpose of the project involved before a decision on an order can be made. I must also point out that 1979 was an abnormal year as far as the holding of public local inquiries was concerned due to such factors as the prolonged postal dispute.
Would the Minister consider a period of two-and-a-half years as being normal?
No, it is not, but I have no information to say that it is longer than that. The average last year was nine months and I would say that the longest was a year. In the acquiring of land we must see that we give everyone, especially those from whom we require the land, fair play.
Is the Minister aware that one case in Waterford has been going on for two-and-a-half years since the public inquiry and that senior officials of the county council in Waterford are very concerned about that case and a number of others which have gone on for well over a year?
I am not aware of that. If the Deputy brings it to my attention I will let him have a full and detailed report on it.
Fair enough.