Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 March 2014
174. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the cost to the State to date of resolving issues at Priory Hall; if he will provide an update on the resolution process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11434/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the reply to Question No 266 of 3 December 2013 which sets out in broad terms the key features of the Priory Hall Resolution Framework, as available in the Oireachtas Library, and the implementation group, chaired by Dr Martin McAleese, which has been established by the Government to oversee the effective implementation of the framework. In line with the terms of the framework agreement, owner occupiers of Priory Hall apartments have a twelve month period in which to complete purchase of a replacement home. The actual refurbishment of the complex is likely to be a two year project. Thus, while the implementation group is currently actively progressing all aspects of the framework and while I understand that good early progress is being made, the overall resolution framework remains at a relatively early stage of delivery. The framework itself provides for a formal review of progress after a twelve month period of implementation.
In relation to the resolution of the housing needs of residents, any arrangements that may be agreed between an individual homeowner and their mortgage provider is a matter between those parties.
In relation to the necessary refurbishment of the Priory Hall complex I understand that good progress has been made by Dublin City Council in surveying the individual apartment units at Priory in advance of remediation works . I expect that the competitive tender process for procuring remediation solutions will be publicly advertised very shortly.
The cost of acquiring certain units and refurbishing the entire complex of 187 apartment units at Priory Hall is estimated to involve a projected net capital outlay of the order of €10 million and appropriate provision has been made in my Department’s estimates. In this context it is important to note that t he resale of refurbished units or their reuse for social housing purposes will, in time, afford Dublin City Council the opportunity to recover a significant proportion of the capital outlay.
Apart from the above capital outlay, some €1.1 million has been contributed to date towards emergency accommodation costs and 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.
