Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Coleman for appearing. We are approaching the end of our pre-legislative scrutiny on the affordable housing Bill so there has been much discussion about it. We wanted to have the Land Development Agency here because this Bill and the Land Development Agency Bill 2021 are key foundation stones for the delivery of affordable housing. I would like Mr. Coleman to talk us through how the LDA will use the tools in the affordable housing Bill to deliver affordability. It is often not discussed in subtle terms outside the House, but outside the House there is a suggestion that the LDA is effectively in the business of seizing land and delivering expensive housing on only 50% of that land, using developer-led planning and profiteering, and there are suggestions that the Land Development Agency Bill should be scrapped. Given that narrative, will Mr. Coleman talk us through the positive elements that he supports in the Bill and maybe answer some of those charges?