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

I will not be accepting amendments Nos. 152, 153 or 154. I know what Deputies Ó Broin and Gould are referring to in the housing needs demands assessment, HNDA, but the wording there might even be problematic because it might be too prescriptive. We are doing that. I would be afraid that if we put that specific wording in, like we have the HNDA rolled out to all our local authorities, that phrase is not consistent with the phrase in amendment No. 152 and could well cause us a problem. I know what the Deputies are trying to achieve and I do not have an issue with that but it might cause difficulties.

Amendments Nos. 153 and 154 would just put further requirements on the LDA that are above and beyond what any other agency does. We discussed at length at a previous hearing how the LDA will be fully answerable to the committee. It will also have Comptroller and Auditor General oversight and it will have to report to whoever the Minister is at that given time. This would be providing another layer of reports that have to be laid as well as seeking to put additional provisions in place.

I am satisfied the provisions in the section are robust enough when it comes to laying any report before the Oireachtas or the Government. The Oireachtas committee can use the report and call witnesses in that regard, if it so wishes. The report, prepared by the LDA under this section, is to enable the Government to decide on the use of public lands. It is what the section relates to. It is not appropriate that the agency would prepare this report for the Houses of the Oireachtas as it would not have any decision-making powers for the use of relevant public lands and, if required, the disposal of such lands through it.

It is fully appropriate for a report to be furnished to the Government so it can make the appropriate decisions. It would be laid before the Oireachtas once the report has been submitted to the Government. Any decisions that arise from this on the use of public lands must be made by the Government following the report and they will also be laid before the Oireachtas.

I have dealt with amendment No. 152 so I believe that covers all the amendments in the group.