Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I did not mention the Land Development Agency. I am very clear that we have met with Louth County Council. It has a pipeline of projects to deliver more than 740 houses in the coming year or two. We have been very clear that we would like more projects to be in the pipeline. There are schemes to do that and we are very happy to engage with the council in this regard. We are funding projects. We are very clear as a Government that our job is to make sure social housing and affordable housing are delivered and also to increase the number of private housing development, which thankfully is happening as well. Local authorities are involved in that. Where landbanks can deliver all three categories of housing and help recoup some of the costs the council has expended the landbanks should be used for that as well where it is suitable. Some of the sites are large and it would not be suitable to only bring forward social housing on them. The local authority in Louth is very aware of that and it has engaged on the sites as well. We will engage with the council and make available our technical teams to help it develop those sites. There is more opportunity for more projects and for more sites to be developed.

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