Deputy Denis Naughten was in possession. He has 17 minutes remaining.
Town Renewal Bill, 2000: Second Stage (Resumed).
Question again proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."
I did not think I would regain possession this evening with the way things were shaping up. I was making the point that I hoped Roscommon town, the only town from my constituency eligible under this town renewal scheme, would receive approval when it came before the Minister for the Environment and Local Government after the enactment of this Bill. I hope this Bill will pass through the House very swiftly.
The people of Roscommon town were very disappointed that their town was not included in the rural renewal scheme or in the previous urban renewal scheme. Roscommon town was considered for the original urban renewal scheme, although it did not the meet the criteria of having a population of 5,000. Its exclusion had a detrimental effect on Roscommon town because within four miles of the town, the rural renewal scheme covers three quarters of my constituency, all of County Longford, and all of North Roscommon to within a couple of miles of Roscommon town. The previous urban renewal schemes had been a huge success in Roscommon town, but there is a disadvantage in the urban renewal scheme in Athlone as many financial resources have been moving out of Roscommon town and the southern half of County Roscommon into either the urban renewal scheme in Athlone or the rural renewal scheme in Longford and North Roscommon. I hope the Minister for the Environment and Local Government will ensure that Roscommon town will be included in this because it has been a success in the past.
The idea behind this Bill is very welcome. While the previous speakers have voiced some criticism, I wholeheartedly welcome it because there had been a huge disadvantage for towns with a population under 5,000. They were being starved of resources because the large towns were receiving urban renewal designation and money that may have been invested in the smaller towns and villages was being moved to the larger population centres, thus making the smaller towns reduce in size and lose further population. Many of these towns which we are discussing which fit these criteria are in the less developed parts of rural Ireland. This is a huge hindrance to them in attracting industrial investment or in trying to rejuvenate the population and the local economy. Consequently, this is very positive and vitally important legislation.
Section 1 defines the eligibility criteria for this scheme. When the Department of the Environment and Local Government originally published the list of eligible towns, it must have mis sed its geography lesson at school because they included Ballyleague-Lanesboro which was already designated under the rural renewal scheme, as it crossed the river Shannon. However, Monksland, a town in my constituency, which was eligible, was omitted. Its population met the criterion laid down in this regard. Investment is needed there because there has been a dramatic increase in residential development in the area but the infrastructure to complement it has never been put in place. The local authority was the big offender because it sold large tracts of land and built housing without even providing enough space for a soccer pitch. The town's population is approximately 2,000 and yet it does not have such a basic facility. Although it is a relatively young town if it were designated under the scheme, the recreational infrastructure, which is vitally important to such communities, could be provided and the area could be rejuvenated. However, parts of it already need these incentives. I hope when the Department reviews the scheme it will seriously examine the merits of Monksland and include it together with the other 102 towns designated under the current scheme.
One of the main objectives of the scheme is to increase the number of housing units in small towns. It is a positive development but there will be a move away from the rented sector because of the new initiatives announced last week by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. This sector will be covered by the scheme but those who provide accommodation units will still charge young couples or students through the nose because the going rate will be sought for other residential units which are not covered under the scheme and this will increase dramatically following the enactment of this legislation. I do not envisage a net benefit for the consumer at the end of the day.
The developer is only one who will benefit. He will not be liable under the provisions of the financial resolution agreed by the House last week or new proposals from the Minister for the Environment and Local Government but he will be able to charge increased prices for accommodation. Capping the cost of rented accommodation and the introduction of legislation regarding security of tenure should be examined seriously. These issues are fundamentally important in terms of this legislation because new residential units are its backbone.
Previous speakers felt it was positive that the urban renewal scheme provided a facelift to many towns and villages which had been in a dilapidated state for years and it was great that unsightly ESB cables were placed underground, streets and footpaths were resurfaced and communities were given a lift. Community involvement of a financial nature was necessary for the scheme to succeed because it afforded the locals an opportunity to make an input and have a commitment to its development. However, it is fundamentally wrong that every town and village which qualified under this scheme and carried out works looks the same. They have become clones of each other. Similar public lighting and street furniture was used and the unique character of many of these communities has changed. Driving through a village in County Roscommon is similar to driving through any one throughout Ireland. That is a huge disappointment. The local authorities did not use any imagination when they drew up these schemes to provide a unique character to the towns and villages which were designated.
Section 3(3) provides for what the Minister must have regard to in deciding the towns which will be designated. It refers to sustainable patterns and the enhancement of amenities. It was a missed opportunity on the part of the Department not to include Monksland because there is a great need for the provision of amenities. I ask the Department, even at this late stage, to review the criteria it laid down and the towns it designated under the scheme. Two towns in County Roscommon were deemed eligible originally by the Department and then after it realised one had already been designated under the rural renewal scheme, only one town was considered eligible. It is a pity that Monksland, which is located on the periphery of Athlone, was not considered.
Section 3(7) outlines a range of objectives which should be included in the town renewal plans. This is a positive development because over the years the local authorities used county development plans to prepare schemes for various localities and all they ever did was draw lines on a map to decide which area should be designated industrial, commercial or residential but they never implemented a structured plan for towns on a street by street basis. This scheme forces local authorities to point out exactly where the town centres will be and how towns will be planned in terms of traffic management and so on. Local authorities should be obliged to do something similar under county development plans. They should outline how they see towns developing on a street by street basis and what provisions they propose to make towards this work.
The town renewal plans also refer to the density of the development. This infuriates me because local authorities in many rural counties are using the densities laid down in the Bacon report as the criteria for development. The report specifically refers to towns and cities where there is great demand for accommodation, such as Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, yet other local authorities appear to adopt similar density criteria for rural areas, which is completely ludicrous. For example, if one leaves Galway and drives through villages along the Tuam Road one will see apartment buildings which are completely out of sync with the rest of the architecture. It is ludicrous that three and four storey apartment buildings are erected on the edge of a village thus destroying the character that has been there for generations. Under the criteria of the new scheme, housing units must be built, but local authorities fail to examine the visual and environmental impact on communities. This also relates to sustainable development which must be addressed in the proposals submitted. Both matters are linked. It is an education to look at some of the high density developments on the outskirts of Dublin. Please God I will be proved wrong, but I have no doubt that some day a tragedy will be caused by some of these high density developments. Blanchardstown is an area of the city I know quite well. Over the past couple of years new housing estates have been constructed there thereby increasing the population density dramatically.
Developers have not made adequate provision for parking and, consequently, narrow streets at the back of estates are lined on both sides with private and commercial vehicles. This occurs also because much of the accommodation is rented out and, thus, there could be four people in a house, each with a car, but only one vehicle can fit in the driveway so the rest have to be parked in the street. If, God forbid, there was a fire in such an estate, it would be extremely difficult for any fire engine to gain access to the blaze. One can imagine the consternation if the fire crew had to knock on every door to get the occupants to move their cars so the fire engine could approach a burning house. Such issues are not considered in the debate on housing density, yet there is a need to increase density in Dublin.
We must examine the issue in a feasible way and discover how to increase density while improving the layout of new estates. We will have to devise new types of layout for such estates so that we will not end up creating ghettos. We must provide the recreational facilities mentioned in section 3(3), which are of fundamental importance to the debate on the Bill. Housing density is becoming a hugely controversial topic in many rural counties where local authorities are increasing parts of estates which were completed years ago and the new developments can be completely out of character with the earlier buildings.
I hope the Minister will ensure that EU approval is obtained for the commercial incentives relating to the legislation before the Bill is enacted, instead of leaving it on the long finger as was done with the western development fund and the rural renewal scheme which was dragged out for ages. I commend the Bill to the House.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I wish to share my time with Deputy Browne (Wexford).
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I support the main thrust of the Bill. Over the last 15 years we have seen the successes of many urban and rural renewal schemes which have been in place across the length and breadth of the country. Urban renewal has played an important role in revitalising our main cities, and rural renewal programmes have assisted in developing many rural areas. In the broader context we have witnessed the country's economic success in recent years. The annual growth rate is close to 10% and unemployment is falling. In Limerick, since June 1997, unemployment has fallen by over 4,000.
However, balanced regional development is a core political objective of the Government. Renewing our larger cities, while serving an important valuable economic function, should not be the sole focus for the Government's physical renewal programmes. The purpose of the Bill is to provide a framework for a new town renewal scheme aimed at the physical renewal of smaller towns with a population ranging from 500 and 6,000. The scheme, which will be tax incentive based, is aimed at revitalising smaller towns, promoting sustainable development and fostering rural development programmes. It has at its core the need to combat dereliction and deprivation in such areas.
As the Minister of State responsible for housing, Deputy Molloy, said on 8 June, our smaller towns have had to cope with and adapt to much economic and technological change. Fairs and traditional markets have been consigned to history and the result of all this has been a decline in the core areas of our towns. People have found it more attractive to move to the surrounding countryside. Many rural town centres should not function as service centres alone. That is why it is the Government's intention to follow the success of urban renewal schemes which have already been put in place.
The new town renewal scheme is tax incentive based and will seek to stimulate private investment in the revitalisation of areas which would not otherwise have attracted such investment. There will be a particularly strong emphasis on refurbishment and tackling key infill sites. The new conservation measures which have been introduced by the Government will also help to complement and underpin the efforts of county councils in meeting the objectives of their own town renewal plans.
The new scheme must also be viewed in the broader context of spatial planning policy, housing and infrastructural development. The National Development Plan, 2000-2006, has mandated the Department of the Environment and Local Government to prepare such a national spatial strategy which must be finalised by next year. The scheme will also dovetail with other initiatives, such as the rural towns and villages initiative which, over the next three years, will provide substantial investment in essential public water and sewerage facilities for smaller urban areas.
The Government recognises that it is time to look at the unique features of our smaller towns and to preserve and conserve our older buildings. It is important to realise the potential of these places as vibrant living and working communities. These plans will provide a quality framework for the conservation and rejuvenation of these towns.
The tax incentive approach which has been so successfully implemented in many urban renewal programmes over the past 15 years must now be employed in smaller towns. A total of 102 town renewal plans have been received by the Department of the Environment and Local Government for its consideration. As a TD representing the constituency of Limerick West, I will be supporting the applications for town renewal status that have already been forwarded to the Department by Abbeyfeale, Kilmallock, Croom, Rathkeale and Castleconnell. The 102 town renewal plans are currently being analysed by an established expert advisory panel and an announcement of the special tax designations will be made in early July.
Section 1 indicates the requirements determining eligibility under the scheme. A town must have a population of between 500 and 6,000 as contained in the most recently published census as well as meeting some other conditions. Towns in areas designated under the 1999 urban renewal scheme, the seaside resort scheme, the rural renewal scheme and towns in certain administered counties are now eligible to participate in this new scheme. That is only right and proper and this provision will be supported by most parties in the House.
Section 3 provides that county councils, when selecting towns for the purposes of preparing a town renewal plan, must have regard to such criteria specified in writing by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. In specifying these criteria, they must have regard to the need for the promotion of physical renewal and revitalisation of towns, the promotion of towns as cultural, commercial, social and residential centres, the promotion of sustainable development patterns and the enhancement of the towns' amenities, heritage and environment.
Section 8(3) provides that a county council may consult with interested parties when forwarding such town renewal plans to the Government. I congratulate Limerick County Council for the widespread consultation which it has had with many interested parties in Limerick on these matters.
Section 5 provides that a town renewal plan may contain or be accompanied by recommendations that a part or parts of the area to which the plan relates shall be a qualifying area for the purposes of town renewal relief. These latter reliefs relate to expenditure on the conversion of existing buildings for use as rented residential accommodation, expenditure on the refurbishment of a house for use as rented residential accommodation and allowances to owner occupiers in respect of certain expenditure on the construction or refurbishment of residential accommodation.
The county council must have regard to certain criteria in making any recommendations con tained in or accompanying a town renewal plan. These criteria are consistency between the types of development likely to be carried out in the areas to which the recommendations relate and relevant objectives of the plan; significance of the recommendations for obtaining the objectives of the plan; market conditions in the area or areas concerned in relation to the supply of and anticipated demand for the relevant types of development and the nature and extent of any impediments to the carrying out of the relevant types of development.
Section 8 provides for the monitoring of the implementation of town renewal plans and the reporting of the results of such monitoring to the Minister. County councils will be required to put in place appropriate arrangements for monitoring the implementation of any town renewal plan in accordance with any guidelines that the Minister may issue from time to time for the purposes of this section.
The Bill states that it is not possible at this stage to estimate the cost to the Exchequer of the tax reliefs that will apply under this new scheme. This cannot be done until decisions are taken on the extent of the areas to be designated, the mix of incentives to be applied in each case and the take up of the scheme in the various towns selected. However, the Government is committed to the town renewal programme. It will not be lacking in forwarding the necessary financial resources to ensure that this nationwide town renewal programme is a true and real success. The new scheme will boost the construction industry and long-term employment opportunities in the areas that benefit.
Moreover, from my perspective in Limerick, such schemes will also boost tourism in the region and complement the substantial provisions in the Government's national development plan to improve the economic infrastructure of the county over the next seven years. I commend the Bill in its entirety to the House.
(Wexford): I thank Deputy Collins for sharing time. I particularly welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate because the concept of the small town renewal scheme originated in Wexford County Council three years ago when a former councillor, Rory Murphy, put forward a proposal which was unanimously passed by the council. Following this, there were a number of consultations with the Minister, Deputy Dempsey, where he and the council group discussed how the scheme could become operational. I express my compliments and thanks to former councillor, Rory Murphy, who was always thinking of similar ideas. He had a great interest in small rural towns in County Wexford.
The urban renewal scheme has been a success story in Wexford and Enniscorthy. New Ross was recently received an allocation and the scheme has revitalised larger towns which were dormant. There is dereliction and decay in many smaller towns throughout the country. Without tax incentives, many people would not be in a position to renovate properties. The scheme will give an opportunity to business people and others living in smaller towns to restore former glories. These towns are mainly small market towns which were successful in the past. However, for various economic reasons, they fell into decay. Undoubtedly, towns with populations between 500 and 6,000 will experience the same success as a result of tax incentives under the town renewal scheme. People want to undertake developments and ensure their towns grow.
Perhaps it is due to the Celtic tiger, but if one travels around the country now, one will see new shops in many small villages where enterprises closed down ten or 15 years ago. A number of small supermarkets have opened in my area. There are also three new pubs in three villages close to my area which never had pubs in the past. This is a sign of the economic growth taking place and the confidence in the country. Perhaps it is also a sign of the large amount of money that publicans make, but it is good to see new facilities in villages.
A number of towns in County Wexford were put forward at a county council meeting. The National Building Agency, in conjunction with the senior executive planning officer, prepared the groundwork and identified the priority towns for inclusion in the scheme by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. While the county manager had an executive function in this matter, he was not foolish enough to make the decision on his own. He involved the NBA, the senior executive planning officer and all 21 councillors.
They had an opportunity to debate at council level the recommendations of the planning officer. When the NBA report was completed, they examined the four towns which were eventually selected, Taghmon, Ferns, Bunclody and Gorey. The elected members met the NBA and had an opportunity to adjust and include areas. We had a say in how a village or town should be developed under the town renewal scheme.
There was full consultation and occasionally the discussions with the National Building Agency were heated and frank. The agency's experts prepared the minute detail, but the elected members had much more experience of what was needed in the different towns. The selection of Bunclody, Gorey, Taghmon and Ferns was eventually submitted to the Department. They are now being evaluated and it is a good mix because Gorey is one the larger towns in the county while Taghmon is smaller. The towns of Ferns and Bunclody are historic. Ferns is one of the most historic towns in Ireland and there is tremendous scope for development there under the town renewal scheme.
Representatives of community committees in the four towns have been in regular contact with me and other Wexford Deputies. They want to know when the scheme will come on stream because they have plans and ambitions. While the Celtic tiger is roaring they want their towns to be developed. We do not want a situation where larger towns, such as Enniscorthy, New Ross and Wexford, develop quickly – they are probably being overdeveloped at present – but smaller towns are left behind.
It is most important that decisions are made as quickly as possible with regard to the town renewal scheme. I am not familiar with towns in other counties but the 102 towns in respect of which proposals have been submitted to the Department may be on a par with the proposals from County Wexford. The Minister should approve the nomination of the towns as quickly as possible and allow local authorities, community groups and business people to get on with the job.
We cannot afford to delay any longer at a time when we talk about rural development and keeping people in rural Ireland. People are moving out of smaller towns and rural areas and into larger towns where there are house building programmes. That is a pity because it is important to keep the rural parts of our counties vibrant and alive. This town renewal scheme will do that because once the tax incentives are put in place in towns such as Bunclody, Ferns and Taghmon, many house building programmes will start and local builders and developers will avail of the tax incentives to build houses on derelict and obsolete sites and to develop over the shop accommodation and commercial enterprises. That can only be good for a community.
Wexford County Council has marked out the towns it believes should be selected based on the criteria the Minister has laid down, such as the attractiveness of a village or town, its tourism potential or the commercial life needed. A number of other areas were interested, such as Rosslare Harbour, Rosslare Strand, Kilmore and Castlebridge, all of which have a population of more than 500. However, the council was only allowed to submit a certain number of towns. Perhaps they will be given a similar opportunity in the future. I hope that when this scheme is successful it will be extended to other smaller towns around the country.
Under the urban renewal scheme an area of a town is selected and developed but when representations are made about another area of the town which needs to be developed, the Minister is inclined to say it has had its share and it is time to move to another town. That is a pity because the larger towns of Wexford and Enniscorthy could benefit from another urban renewal scheme to complete the job started a number of years ago. We must be thankful for the fact the urban renewal scheme rejuvenated these towns which lay dormant for many years.
I compliment the Minister on taking this initiative which was talked about for a long time. The Minister and the two Ministers of State had the courage to take a stand in the interests of rural people. I am sure they will be well rewarded when this scheme is a total success in three years' time.
I welcome the Bill. It is important to devise a scheme which will give many towns which have suffered over the years an opportunity of renewal. We were lucky that four towns, Portumna, Loughrea, Ballygar and Headford, were designated in County Galway, particularly in east Galway. These towns suffered as a result of the growth in places such as Galway city and its environs.
It is regrettable that under this scheme work will not be completed. If a person drives through a town designated under the urban renewal scheme, he or she should be able to see the impact of that renewal on the town. I am familiar with Loughrea. The problem is that many of the criteria for the major urban centres applies to this scheme. Smaller towns will not have the same number of derelict buildings or be in the same need of refurbishment as the larger urban areas. For that reason, I had hoped there would be a greater degree of flexibility in terms of the criteria for this scheme. I know the Minister will probably be more flexible as time passes when he sees the need for a continuation plan to carry on the work started.
Many of us have seen old pictures and photographs of towns with which we are familiar and we remember the names of businesses or shops which always provided residential accommodation. These cannot be compared to the picture of modern towns. It is unfortunate that many towns have plastic hoardings, flashing signs and streetscapes which are not environmentally friendly. We should be thankful for some planners in many county councils. I compliment the planners in Galway County Council who, without schemes or legislation, often suggested to developers when applications were submitted to change the use of premises that they needed to move away from plastic hoardings and signs. They told them to be more conservative and to remember the streetscapes that were in towns in the past. We must appreciate the work done by many planners throughout the country who were forward thinking and imaginative.
It is of little benefit to designate a small fragmented area of a town. Many town centres are dead because people have moved out and this creates problems, such as violence, litter and other social ills. It is important to give incentives to people to develop residential areas, as the Bill proposes to do, as distinct from commercial rented areas. The availability of money means there will be an incentive to change to commercial enterprises. We know the cost of office space per unit area.
Debate adjourned.