NAMA properties set for social and cultural use

THE Government has ordered the National Assets Management Agency (NAMA) to draw up a list of idle buildings that can be used for the arts, communities or public events.

Arts Minister Jimmy Deenihan confirmed yesterday that properties with no commercial value under NAMA’s control were being examined to determine if they could be made available for public use, particularly for young people.

Opposition TDs urged the minister to make buildings available that otherwise would be sold off by the state to foreign investors for knock-down prices.