Mr. John Coleman:

Many of the Deputy's comments resonate with me and I agree that as NAMA - an organisation of which I have experience - was set up to deal with a particular crisis, the LDA is being set up to address another crisis. I also agree entirely with his views on the need for an active land agency.

The intention at Shanganagh is to deliver approximately 200 social units and some 310 cost rental units, with approximately 90 affordable purchase units, depending on the final decision of the elected members.

The manner in which we intend to deliver it is that the LDA will step in and deliver the social units on a project management basis, while the cost-rental units will be delivered on the basis of a financial model we want to put in place, whereby we will recover the construction and operating costs through the delivery of the rental and funding costs on an ongoing basis. The intention is to come up with rent that is more affordable in the target market - people who struggle to afford private sector rents and those who cannot access social housing because they do not qualify for it. It is a matter of trying to hit the mid-market level. The same cohort would also qualify for the affordable purchase scheme. The intention is that all of the homes delivered on site will look no different one from the other. The social units will look the exact same and be built to the same specifications as the affordable units. Regarding the structure, it will on completion require the delivery of social units in Dún Laoghaire or to a nominee which could be an approved housing body. The LDA will hold and operate, at least in the short term, the affordable rental units, while the affordable purchase units will be sold to qualifying participants.

I refer to the other sites we have mentioned, namely, the Skerries, St. Kevin's Hospital and Devoy Barracks sites. The Skerries and Devoy Barracks sites originated from the Housing Agency which will be able to determine, in consultation with us, the composition of social and affordable units to meets its requirements. That is part of the negotiation in accessing the sites. We have not completed the discussions, but I would have thought and the early indications are that the Housing Agency will look for a level of social and affordable accommodation higher than 40% at those locations. St. Kevin's Hospital in Cork has been sourced from the HSE and is subject to the wider requirement of the Government's decision on the figures of 10% for social housing and 30% for affordable homes on such sites. I hope that answers Deputy Ó Broin's question.

I will ask some of my colleagues to come in on some of the policy issues on which the Deputy touched.