So it appear that NAMA only controls ~12% of unfinished housing estates??? Two issues arise from this.
Is it true? What is the % for category 1 and category 2 unfinished estates?
Interesting that the figures for category 1 and 2 were omitted from the Minister’s reply

The second major issue that arises is who controls the remainder of these unfinished estates, who is responsible for them and what is being done about them.
Just because NAMA does not control these, that does not absolve the State from responsibility. It is quite likely that AIB, PTSB, EBS and indeed BOI all have mortgages on these unfinished estates.

IMHO, there should be a requirement to finish virtually 95% of these estates within three years. Any estate property not properly finished should be forfeit to the State.

It is bad enough to have caused untold destruction to the country.
But it is utterly unforgivable that the people, banks, developers or whoever are now allowed to sit on that destruction to the detriment of both individuals and society at large.

Given NAMA’s dereliction of duty in regard to it share of this problem, one has to wonder if the decision not to take on the smaller developer loans was linked to the fact that NAMA saw what was coming and did not want its hands dirtied in the mire of unfinished residential estates.

The Minister’s reply means effectively that nobody is in charge of the unfinished estates and nobody wants to be in charge of them.
NAMA certainly does not want be. And where it is in charge its preferred solution is neglect followed by a wrecking ball.

What a pathetic excuse for demolition rather than repair and completion. These were new buildings, not old tenements. As such, they were certified by both architects and engineers as being built in accordance with regulations. If this was not the case, legal redress and compensation should be sought against both consultants. The bank under normal circumstances would not have paid out funds against the buildings without such certification. It’s not rocket science to replace a few stolen fixtures and fittings; it happens on sites all the time – especially if they have not been secured.

The above excuse has all the hallmarks of one hastily cobbled together by the spinmasters after the event in order to divert criticism of the fact that they were not finished and made available to those people from the area on the housing list.