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

I will address the specific block of amendments first. To be clear, the LDA will have to be fully compliant with public procurement and the public spending code. The four-stage approval process is a different matter. I have altered the four-stage approval process for local authorities, as the Deputy knows. The single stage can be used up to €6 million, and I will seek to review that further in respect of the housing for all plan. That has been done in a short time. It is telling that every housing development mentioned by the Deputy was opposed by his party. It is remarkable that it always seems to find some reason to oppose the delivery of homes. The specific proposal he mentioned will deliver 238 affordable purchase homes and 238 social homes, which is a significant amount. There are private homes in addition to that. It will be a big decision for any party to oppose the delivery of such a significant amount of affordable and social homes, but that is a position people are entitled to take and it is for them to explain it.

With regard to amendments Nos. 84, 96 and 98 to 101, inclusive, tabled by Deputies Ó Broin and Gould, amendment No. 84 seeks to amend section 13(1)(c), which deals with the LDA providing assistance to local authorities in the development of large-scale local authority owned sites for housing. The amendment seeks to delete the word "develop". It is appropriate that the LDA would develop, or seek to develop, large-scale local authority sites. However, to be clear about what is happening, the absolute predominance of delivery of social homes will be through the local authorities. That is why they are being tooled and given the funding to do that, with the largest housing budget in the history of the State in budget 2021. The LDA is doing this in Shanganagh, which we have discussed. It is working in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to provide 600 social and affordable units.

On the Deputy's point about the number of homes the LDA will deliver by 2025, we will see how many that will be, and I expect the agency to be ambitious. However, we can be certain of one thing. If Deputy Ó Broin and his colleagues had their way with the amendments they wish to make to the Bill, the agency would deliver no homes. They want to restrict the agency and say it should not build. In some cases the LDA may develop a site on behalf of a local authority and, in others, it may work with the local authority to facilitate the development of the site.

Both provisions are necessary and are absolutely appropriate. Therefore, I cannot accept this amendment as it would undermine the role of the LDA in assisting local authorities.

Amendments Nos. 96, 98, 99, 100 and 101 seek to amend section 14 which sets out the detail as to how the LDA will provide services to local authorities. Amendment No. 96 seeks to limit the services that the LDA will provide to "land and land related" while amendments Nos. 98 to 101, inclusive, seek to limit the role of the LDA to providing assistance to local authorities in the preparation of master plans, applying for development consents, providing housing and managing cost rental housing. It is wholly appropriate that the LDA would provide these services to local authorities and not just assist them in that. We must be realistic about where we are right now in terms of the delivery of homes for our people. We need change in the housing area and this Bill represents change. If we keep doing the same thing, we will have the same results. We need to tool up these agencies to do the job and it is wholly appropriate to give them these powers.

One of the purposes of the Bill is that the LDA would provide services to local authorities and support them in their role as housing authorities. Local authorities will be able to avail of the centre of excellence which we want to see developed in the LDA for the delivery of housing in urban areas which is something that we really need. Most people will see that there are different levels of expertise in different local authorities. We need to build that expertise up and ensure that we have an agency in place that can assist. Therefore, I cannot accept these amendments as they would undermine the role of the LDA in delivering services to local authorities. That covers amendments Nos. 84, 96 and 98 to 101, inclusive.