Property sell-off: The Government realised €22.5 million from the sale of a one-acre yard used by the Office of Public Works near Baggot Street in central Dublin, the Minister of State, Mr Tom Parlon, told the PD conference.
He also said the Government would apply for and expected to receive a derogation on the implementation of the EU nitrates directive, which obliges farmers to reduce their use of chemical nitrates. Such a derogation would allow intensive farmers to protect their current stocking rates "without sacrificing our clean water".
Mr Parlon said the €22.5 million received for the property at Lad Lane was "not bad" for a builders' yard and the money would be used to buy property for offices under the decentralisation programme. Stating that he would proceed with a programme to "reorganise" the State's property portfolio through straight sell-offs of publicly-owned land, joint ventures and land swaps, he defended decentralisation and said the plan would be "fully in train" by 2006.
Mr Parlon said planning permission had been received for a 320-apartment development at Westgate, opposite Heuston Station in Dublin. Twenty per cent of the accommodation would be reserved for social and affordable housing, he added. He said the Government planned to sell its 50 per cent share of the development to Eircom, which owns the other 50 per cent. Dublin City Council was considering a planning application for the second phase of the development.
Mr Parlon was speaking during a session in which a number of local election candidates called for the reinstatement of the western rail corridor, linking Sligo with Limerick via Galway and Clare.
