Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2012
14 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he was last briefed by Dublin City Council senior management in terms of all outstanding issues for Priory Hall residents. Dublin, including on the proposed resolution process chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Joseph Finnegan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22186/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra49 Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a full update on his actions to urgently and fully resolve all outstanding legal, financial and housing for Priory Hall residents, Dublin; if he has been briefed on the proposed resolution process chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Joseph Finnegan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22185/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 49 together.
I and my Department are being kept informed by Dublin City Council of developments with regard to the resolution of issues at Priory Hall. At my request, the Department has assisted the Council, in consultation with NAMA, in securing alternative temporary accommodation for many of the residents. My Department has made a contribution towards the costs necessarily incurred by Dublin City Council, in the context of a judgment of the High Court, in providing temporary accommodation for households evacuated from Priory Hall. Dublin City Council is the designated authority with powers to enforce the statutory requirements arising under the Fire Safety Act, the Building Control Acts and the Planning and Development Acts, all of which are at issue in relation to Priory Hall. The Council is also the designated Housing Authority under the Housing Acts.
My own responsibility as Minister is to ensure that appropriate statutory requirements, technical standards and administrative provisions are put in place under the various acts. This responsibility has been fulfilled and is not in dispute. While I sympathise with the residents who have been placed in a very difficult position, and wish to see their difficulties resolved as quickly as possible, I have no role in relation to enforcement activity or in relation to the direct provision of housing services. The appropriate statutory powers in this case rest with Dublin City Council and neither I nor the Department has a statutory function in relation to enforcement activity or in determining the provision of services in individual cases. It is important that I as Minister act appropriately and within the powers given to me, particularly in a case such as this which is already the subject of legal proceedings.
The recent adjournment of those legal proceedings for a period of three months to allow for a conciliation process chaired by Justice Finnegan provides an appropriate context for the parties concerned to work together towards identifying a way forward in relation to this complex problem. I would strongly encourage the financial institutions, the residents of Priory Hall and Dublin City Council to engage fully with this new process to give it every chance to succeed. It is important that all concerned now afford Mr. Justice Finnegan the opportunity to complete the task which he has been given. Dublin City Council has made commendable efforts to provide for the needs of residents to date and continues to work proactively on their behalf towards achieving the much needed resolution of the issues at Priory Hall.
