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

When we came into Government the LDA existed and was not just a concept. It had done some good work on master-planning and planning other sites. I wanted to bring those from the planning and concept stages into actual delivery of homes. We saw the first of them - in Mallow, County Cork, and Shanganagh Castle - break ground over the past few weeks. Work is also starting on St. Kevin’s in Cork. The LDA is expanding its remit throughout the country looking at sites. It has a role with local authorities. Whether it takes a site over or not, it is able to master-plan sites and bring them out to the market to seek both public and private finance to deliver them. I know the Ballymun Shopping Centre site very well, having visited it with the Vice Chairman. There are some opportunities for us to deliver. The LDA is fully tooled up now. It is established and underpinned by legislation and is also being capitalised. It has entered into contracts worth almost €600 million this year alone.