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File photo of a ghost estate in Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim. Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland

Review of ghost estates finds over 2,000 unfinished developments in Ireland

The latests National Housing Survey involved inspections of 2,876 developments around the country.

THE LATEST National Housing Survey has found that although 701 developments have been completed over the past year, more than 2,000 remain unfinished.

Of the 2,876 developments inspected in the survey, 2,066 are still unfinished and almost 90 per cent of those were mainly inactive sites at the time of the inspection.

A total of 17,872 dwellings surveyed are listed as being at a further stage of completion, while about half of those are described as being nearly complete.

The survey found a 20 per cent reduction in houses listed as complete and vacant, in comparison with the 23,250 recorded as such last year.

Launching the report today, Minister for Housing and Planning Willie Penrose said that the survey shows a significant reduction in construction activity in 2011 since last year, with 43 per cent fewer active sites this year.

Penrose said that there is no magic wand to solve the problem and that although he has seen improvements in the level of engagement between developers, local authorities, residents, financial institutions and the department under the National Coordinating Committee, much remains to be done, and “the problem would be around for some years to come”.

Penrose also launched a guide for residents of unfinished estates and a Stakeholders Code of Practice to be applied by developers, financial institutions, NAMA, local authorities and residents for working together on resolving unfinished developments.

The guide for residents advises residents that “the developer or owner of a housing developer, or a receiver appointed by a financial institution” is responsible for it until it is taken over by a local authority or a private management company. It also encourages residents to set up a committee to help identify and prioritise issues at the estate.

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11 Comments
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    Mute Niall Mullins
    Favourite Niall Mullins
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    Aug 10th 2013, 7:56 AM

    Gotta love the way they’re so considerate of taxpayer’s money when it’s not bankers they’re giving it to!!

    86
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    Mute seamus mcdermott
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:08 AM

    “MFI was established to provide additional lending to start-up , newly established or growing microenterprises with loans of between €2,000 and €25,000 available and the department said that the average size of a loan under the scheme is €16,000.”

    A € 2000 loan? That wouldn’t cover the bar tab at the Dail for one TD.

    82
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    Mute Hedley Lamarr
    Favourite Hedley Lamarr
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:49 AM

    Some individuals would get money far easier from a relieving officer, and with less B.S

    21
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    Mute Mike Hall
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    Aug 10th 2013, 2:19 PM

    Indeed.

    But these ‘schemes’ are all about propaganda for government & the self serving elites to make it look that they are doing something & care. It also serves to distract attention from the one thing that all businesses need & from which all else follows (including necessary finance) – customers.

    They want to distract from this business 101 reality because increasing customers with money (sales) in the +macro+ economy is precisely the opposite effect of the Eurozone wide austerity policy.

    Termed the ‘paradox of thrift’ principle, after Keynes in the 1920s & following the proven empirical truth of it obvious to all by the exact same austerity ‘mistake’ of the 1930s, no one would dare to ignore it in the 50 years that followed. (‘Mistake’ that is for the majority, of course, not the elite few who profit just as much from recession.)

    Unfortunately, following the efforts of elites to deny the very basis of macro economics of the last 30 years, in order to deny much any role for government, we see exactly the same unnecessary recession/depression & mass unemployment resulting again as happened following the Finance sector rigged casino/pyramid crash as 80 years ago.

    The Euro currency system itself has been designed to effectively deny any stabilising counter cyclical role for governments. Such is the level of ‘capture’ of mainstream economics, politics & media that even now, after 6 years & conditions in the Euro zone still getting worse, most are still in denial.

    9
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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:05 AM

    They couldn’t approve anything because the lads controlling the money hadn’t got the whiteboard training, the chalk they were using was completely ineffective on it! You wait and see next year though!

    58
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    Mute Pat O'Brien
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:48 AM

    The interest rates on these loans are also nuts. I considered it for my business but there’s no point with insane interest rates.

    54
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    Mute gavin o reilly
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:04 AM

    Better off going on dragons den, then dealing with them shower of donkeys

    42
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    Mute Tony Lewis
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:20 AM

    Pity the question did not also ask how many civil servants are involved in the admin of the scheme how much their salaries are and office expenses etc. that’s the only real jobs created and they are non productive and a drain on public finances. Another smokescreen created by our political system and permanent government our civil servants who only really create jobs for themselves.

    33
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    Mute Scarr
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:53 AM

    Should the money just be in a bag in brutons desk or something ?

    5
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:35 AM

    @Michelle Hennessey: What more enlightening would be how many loan applications there were. What would therefore be the success rate? How long from application to decision?
    The success of the agency is how does it compare to the banks?
    Does the agency have info as to how many of the applications were previously denied by a bank?
    Your article as it is does not tell us much.

    27
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    Mute Ryan Ash
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:41 AM

    If all that information was included, the story might be too positive. It is designed, like most news here, to provoke negative reactions from readers and gain more page views (and thus advertising revenue).

    The headline could easily have read “216 jobs supported by government scheme for small businesses” but that might have seemed to positive.

    17
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    Mute Alan Lawlor
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:19 AM

    Ryan: I agree. Maybe we should be asking Michelle as to how much more of that info she has and decided to leave out of the article to make it more sensational.

    5
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    Mute Súper Kario
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    Aug 10th 2013, 10:03 AM

    Seems that 90 loans were approved, which amounts to 45% of applications, giving you a grand total of 200 applications with 110 refused (55%). And an average of 9 loans per month approved with 11 loans per months rejected over the past 10 months since the scheme was implemented.

    I wonder how many people work in the department where all of this occurs. Dealing with 20 loans applications a month is obviously no more than a two person job.

    12
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    Mute Alan Forbes
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:45 AM

    @alan one of the qualifications of the microfinance scheme is that you have been denied a loan from your bank. The percentages pretty much show that just over half the applicants were succesful. Which shows a very poor amount of businesses applying. Why is that I would ask. As a start up business myself the terms arent suitable so I havent bothered.

    15
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    Mute Philip
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    Aug 10th 2013, 8:34 AM

    This isn’t government’s role, this is a function of our banks

    14
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    Mute Jason Culligan
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:11 AM

    Is there any difference between the two lately?

    19
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    Mute Ted Carroll
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:17 AM

    Other than that the banks tell the government what to do I don’t think there’s any differences at all!

    9
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    Mute billtipp
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:47 AM

    Could I get a loan to start a small company promoting this scheme on behalf of Gov. or do I need to be a member of FG. or Lab. party first?

    8
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    Mute Vinny Mulhall
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    Aug 10th 2013, 12:25 PM

    It’s all banking money anyway so as long as its theirs they will be reluctant to part with it.

    2
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    Mute Donal Lynch
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    Aug 10th 2013, 9:31 PM

    I remember something about a five year plan and 100,000 oh yeah something about ” vote yes to Lisbon is a vote for jobs” and people who can create jobs can’t get loans ?

    2
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    Mute Universal Funding's
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    Sep 17th 2015, 8:44 PM

    UNIVERSAL FUNDING GROUP!!!

    Universal Funding Group is a Private Money Lender and an Investment Group that has multiple investors. We provide all kind of loans locally & internationally to individual and companies that are in need of financial support.

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    We await your responds! Thanks.

    1
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    Mute Smater Firm
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    Sep 3rd 2015, 6:38 AM

    Did you need a loan to take care of all your financial need? All nation we have found the good new and humble firm that Allah as bless us with come for your home loan or any type of loan, you will smile again. contact us today via email: musaddiqloanlending@gmail.com

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    Mute Glenn Baker
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    Apr 13th 2017, 8:25 PM

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    Mute elizabeth
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    Oct 11th 2015, 9:55 AM

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    1
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    Mute Allison Sara
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:45 PM

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    1
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    Mute Itua Blssinge
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    Feb 24th 2014, 11:51 AM

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    1
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    Mute Patrick
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    Aug 18th 2013, 10:31 AM

    The minister for small firms has small pockets.

    1
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    Mute Allison Sara
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    Jul 23rd 2014, 11:23 PM

    Hello Everybody,

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    1
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    Mute Bonkey Fred
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    Jun 26th 2014, 11:21 PM

    Do you need an urgent loan or financial services? Contact Charitycorporation@gmail.com / http://charitycorporation.gnbo.com.ng

    1
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