Mr. John Coleman:

I thank the Deputy for his very interesting remarks, which resonate with us as we have been going through the process of setting up the Land Development Agency. I will touch on a number of points the Deputy made about appropriate tenure mix and ensuring this is not done in a blanket manner and we put the right housing in the right locations for the people who require it. In this respect we are very tightly aligned with planning policy driving the decision-making process. We are also very close to the local authorities in working out the appropriate tenure mix for each site to ensure we are delivering the right kind of housing in these locations.

The Deputy also pointed out that we need to ensure in our methodologies that we do not allow parts of State sites to be sold to developers and then lost because they have been flipped or something like that. I will make a number of observations on this. We share that concern, and one of the ways we will deal with it is through the transactional methods we will deploy when we deal with the sites under our remit. Around the time of the launch of the LDA, there was a narrative that we would simply release sites to developers who could then do whatever they wanted with them. This is not true. Regarding our strategy in this respect, first, we are all about enabling developable sites, not just releasing any old sites onto the market irrespective of what stage it is at. Second, it is a matter of ensuring that the sites will be developed. Our intention is to do many of the activities that developers would traditionally have done. This is where value is created in the process, through land assembly and achieving the right zoning, planning and tenure mix and then looking to see what our options are for delivery. We will go a significant part of the way in determining what will be on these sites. The second point I will make in this respect concerns the manner in which a site is released and how a partner is brought in if it is decided that the LDA will not take on the development itself, which is also possible. We can cover off on ensuring that delivery happens on a site by being clever about how we transact. This could include licensing or remaining involved in a joint venture, which would give the LDA some say in how and when the site is delivered in order that it is not just released to the developer to do whatever he or she wants with it. We are very clear on this.

On the accountability and transparency side, we will be subject to the code of practice for the governance of State bodies. We regard the whole area of accountability as a critical part of the LDA's set-up. For this reason, we will have a board, as well as oversight through committees, audit and risk and so on to ensure we are doing the right things. I agree that regular interaction with Oireachtas committees is also very important. We will be more than happy to engage constructively and enthusiastically with the various committees to ensure the correct oversight of the LDA.

I hope that touches on a few of the Deputy's points.