Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their presentations which follow on from those made to the committee earlier. Ms Poole and Mr. Keegan mentioned the Land Development Agency, LDA, and welcomed its establishment. It was announced in September last year, but no land has been transferred to it. It is not a legal entity and does not have legislation to guide it at this stage. What interaction do Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Dublin City Council have with the LDA? Are they identifying land banks? Has the LDA asked them to help to identify land banks held by other agencies such as those mentioned by Senator Boyhan, including the HSE, CIÉ, etc?

In fairness to it, CIÉ is one of the State agencies that is better at using its own land portfolio. I am aware that Dublin Bus is seeking to decamp from some of its depots in the city, which will also help to free up land. Will the delegates address that point?

I thank the delegates for the detailed statement on Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown. The average price in the area is way out of reach of any first-time buyer, even using the bank of mum and dad. The average price - €527,000 - is staggering. What are the delegates' concerns about the demographic trends in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown as a local authority area in the absence of a workable affordable housing scheme and workable cost rental and affordable rental schemes? I have attended meetings in Dún Laoghaire and have spoken at housing meetings there. I have noted that there is significant concern among those in the area about their inability even to think about ever owning a house or an apartment, let alone anything else. What are the concerns of the local authority about the demographic trend in its area?

The priority scheme for affordable purchase was passed by the four Dublin local authorities, but Ms Poole is still awaiting the specific criteria to be used. Has she had further contact with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government on the specific criteria to be used? The delegates from Dublin City Council might answer the same question. My party has made the establishment of an affordable purchase scheme a priority, but we are still awaiting completion of the criteria to be used. The threshold of €75,000 is problematic as confirmed today by the Housing Agency. It is evident from the original legislation that we are not actually bound to a figure of €75,000 for a couple. How close are we to having a real scheme established under which people could apply in each local authority area?

Is there any planning for the delivery of affordable housing in each area? About what numbers are we talking? I acknowledge that the land banks are limited in both cases.

Unless I missed it, there was no mention of how many were waiting on the social housing list in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown administrative area. Dublin City Council has a total of 26,000 families between the housing waiting list and the transfer list. It is a staggering number. I am seeking data for the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area.

Let me address the implications of not having an affordable housing scheme and the ability to cost. Let us consider the examples of Cherrywood and O'Devaney Gardens, where the affordable housing proportion is 20%. There is no scheme fully in place. How has it been costed with the Housing Finance Agency, with a view to it being put out to tender? Has the local authority decided on the affordability levels? Has it decided on what the subvention will be or the equity stake to be taken by the State? What guidance is the authority being given?

Let me refer to Mr. Kenny's statement on O'Devaney Gardens. He gave figures for O’Devaney Gardens, Oscar Traynor Road and St. Michael’s estate, namely, 140, 160 and 150, respectively. Are these the totals for each estate? The figure for O'Devaney Gardens is 140. Is that the maximum?