Deputy Joan Burton has been in touch with Senior Management of Fingal County Council in relation to concerns about the quality of the water supply in a development of approximately 100 apartments at Farmleigh in Castleknock.

The County Council Management have advised Deputy Burton that they have issued instructions to the contractor to investigate and sort out the matter.

This is however only one of a number of cases of problems with water and sewage to new developments which are the subject of Management Companies.

Deputy Burton said, “it is my strong view that legislation and regulation needs to be introduced to ensure that developers using management companies are not allowed to evade their responsibilities to new residents. We have had problems recently with the water supply in Tyrrelstown and ongoing problems with sewage at Collegefort.”

“Where there is a management company, a developer and the County Council, the residents can often not identify who has real responsibility.”

“For example, the developer who is responsible in planning law for the development passes responsibility for maintenance and other problems to management companies formed by the developer, serviced by agents chosen by the developer and funded by the residents. However these managing agents are unable to deal with major or recurring problems.”

“It is important that Fingal County Council take action to ensure that developers meet their full obligations to purchasers buying new homes.”