asked the Minister for the Environment if he will make a grant available to Dublin County Council in order to complete roads within the Grange Abbey estate, Raheny, Dublin 13, so that the council may take the estate in charge.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin County Roads Grant.
4.
The taking in charge of roads is a matter for the local authority in accordance with section 2 of the Local Government Act, 1953, and I have no function in the matter. A block grant is paid annually by my Department to road authorities towards the improvement and maintenance of public roads in their areas. The selection of priorities in this respect would be a matter for the road authority. The block grant for Dublin County Council in the current year is £786,000.
I understand from Dublin County Council that the completion of Grange Abbey estate and its roads has been the subject of protracted legal proceedings against the developer, who is in receivership, and that agreement has finally been reached between the developer's legal representatives and the local authority to convey all the residual lands in the Grange Abbey estate to the county council. Pending finalisation of the necessary legal and technical details involved in the conveyancing of the lands, the agreement gives the county council a right of entry and I have been informed that the county council are proceeding with all the necessary arrangements to move in and commence remedial works on roads, sanitary services and open spaces as soon as possible.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he inform me if Dublin County Council have sought a specific grant for this project? They had informed me that the Department are holding up the money and that they cannot complete the estate unless they get a grant from the Department.
The legal proceedings have not been completed in this matter. Therefore, I am not aware of any claim that could be made until these arrangements have been cleared up. I am certainly not aware of any claim on my Department.
Will the Minister inform me if some of the remedial works have started yet?
I am not so informed.
Will the Minister approach the county council and ask them to start some of these remedial works because the estate is in a deplorable condition?
I will do that.
Could the Minister inform the House of the amount of money available to him out of which he can make grants available for the completion of unfinished estates?
This is a specific question on the Grange Abbey estate.
I appreciate that.
I have not that figure available to me. It is not required in the question.