Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Just because we refer to an affordable scheme does not imply that the other houses sold on a site will not be affordable. It is probably more correct to say that they are subsidised housing. It depends on the location of the land brought forward for development. It is possible that none of this land would be developed for housing if we had not brought in the Land Development Agency and a requirement that other Ministers bring forward their entire portfolio of landbanks in order that we can examine them and determine the most efficient use of land. We will attempt to decant one site onto another and deliver housing where it is needed. That is what we are trying to achieve.

I am aware that Deputy Wallace has brought forward a Bill proposing a tax on vacant sites. Unfortunately, the Bill would not make it through the Houses because of several problems it contains. I more than doubled the vacant site levy when I came into office and we are seeing a positive impact from that. That levy will remain in place to ensure we get vacant sites developed. However, we also now have the Land Development Agency to potentially deliver 150,000 homes for the general public over the next 15 years on public land which might not otherwise have been developed. That is very important.

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