IDA land review urged as 42% of property unused

DESERTED buildings and acres of undeveloped land earmarked for business are wasting taxpayers’ money, it was warned last night.

Up to 1,000 acres of land under the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is lying idle across Ireland, much of it in towns and cities where there is an acute shortage of sites for schools, housing and playing areas.

It has also emerged as many as 62 properties (42%) controlled by the IDA are vacant and not in use.

The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment was last night called upon to set up a review of IDA properties and lands.

Fine Gael demanded that Minister Micheál Martin begin a complete survey of IDA properties.

Of the 62 properties lying vacant, figures show 35 are being leased from landlords.

This is of “considerable cost to taxpayers” said Fine Gael’s enterprise spokesman Leo Varadkar TD.

“I fully accept that IDA Ireland needs to maintain a portfolio of vacant properties and undeveloped land ready for use by future investors. However, it is now acceptable for so many properties to be allowed to remain vacant or that so much land should lie fallow,” added the deputy.

Vacant properties under the IDA include four in County Cork, seven in one Dublin business estate, eight in Galway, four in Donegal and one in Waterford.

Sites could be used for social and affordable housing, playing pitches as well as allotments, said Mr Varadkar.

But the IDA defended its use of lands and properties.

“Our property portfolio is constantly changing. We negotiate deals and need to have ones [properties] for national and international clients available,” said IDA’s PR manager Ruth Croke. She said the IDA were to “some extent” in talks with community groups and councils about alternative uses for sites.

Irish Examiner

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