Vol. 515 No. 3
48 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the number of estates built for a considerable number of years yet to be taken in charge for each local authority; the amount of funding required to take all of these estates in charge; and the plans, if any, he has to make special provision in the 2001 Estimates to tackle this serious problem in view of the Planning and Development Bill, 1999. [5774/00]
The question of the taking in charge of estates is essentially a matter for each individual local authority and my Department does not systematically collect such information. However, the Department did carry out an informal survey of local authorities in 1998 on the extent of the problems with unfinished housing estates and the factors contributing to such problems. Replies received from 77 of the 88 planning authorities revealed that 706 housing estates were then regarded as unfinished, which, along with a further 542 finished estates, had not been taken in charge. The estates varied in size from two to 200 houses. My Department does not have available any estimate as to the funding which would be required to take all of these estates in charge.
New requirements on planning authorities concerning the taking in charge of unfinished estates are provided in the Planning and Development Bill, 1999. The Bill provides that where an estate has been completed to the satisfaction of a local authority, the authority must take an estate in charge when the developer or a majority of the residents request that the authority do so. Where an estate is unfinished, and the period, seven years, for taking enforcement action has expired, and a majority of the residents so request, the planning authority will also be obliged to take the estate in charge.
It is a matter for each local authority to determine its own expenditure requirements in the context of its annual Estimates. Expenditure arising on the issue referred to by the Deputy would be dealt with by local authorities in this Estimates context. Such expenditure is funded from a variety of sources, including the local government fund and other State grants, rates and fees and charges. For future provisions from the Exchequer for the local government fund, regard will be had to the resource implications of the Planning and Development Bill.
