Irish Minister of State for Planning, Ciarán Cuffe has confirmed that developers and landowners may be compelled to demolish partly completed developments, RTE has reported.

The Ministers comments follow the National Asset Management Agency's Chief Executive, Brendan McDonagh admitting that sending in bulldozers could be unavoidable.

Mr Cuffe is due to address the Irish Planning Institute's conference in Tullamore today and will speak in detail about what to do with 'ghost estates'.

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However, the Minister, a professional planner, has made clear that in "extreme cases" landowners and developers may be compelled to demolish partly completed, but unstable or deteriorating developments, for safety and other reasons.

Speaking to an Oireachtas Joint Committee earlier this week, Mr McDonagh said that while it would be a difficult decision, knocking down certain developments might be unavoidable - despite the move incurring costs.

Minister Cuffe has supported this statement but said that bulldozers are not the only solution. He said planners and architects would also be required to transform estates into sustainable communities where possible.

(NS/CD)