On 31 May, I announced that the Government had decided that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority is to be wound up, taking account of its precarious financial outlook as well as the findings of the C&AG's Special Report on the Authority. However, it is envisaged that the Authority will remain in place for a transitional period under a new Executive Board chaired by the Dublin City Manager, Mr. John Tierney, to allow the Authority to progress elements of ongoing work and to make the necessary preparations for the migration to new arrangements to be decided by the Government.
Over the coming months, the Authority will be focusing on managing some important ongoing business that needs to be progressed to completion; in parallel with this work, the Government will finalise the appropriate arrangements for ensuring a continued, concerted focus on the Docklands regeneration initiative, with a particular emphasis on:
maintaining and enhancing the Docklands brand and international marketability as an attractive and prime location for investment and high-value development;
providing for an appropriate set of "fast-track" planning procedures,
continuing to involve the local community and the business sector in the regeneration project, and
facilitating job creation.
In developing appropriate "fast-track" planning procedures, the Government's intention is to facilitate a seamless transition to the new arrangements and it will be taking due account of the status of the current Planning Schemes and of planning certificates issued under such Schemes, pursuant to section 25 of the Dublin Docklands Development Authority Act 1997 in its considerations.