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

Let us be clear: the Oireachtas will, through the legislation I bring forward that will, I hope, gain majority support in the House, decide how the LDA operates. Deputy Ó Broin referred to an important issue in the context of the compulsory purchase powers of the agency. For the initial eight sites, arrangements have been reached with other Departments or State agencies. It is being done because we are trying to manage actively the land in the most efficient way for the Departments and agencies in question. It has not required any stick; it has been a carrot approach. Nevertheless, when we undertake site assembly in some parts of the country with some private landowners, the threat of CPO powers will be important. We are resolving those issues through bringing forward legislation and can then agree on how we want to take it forward. We will have to be mindful of issues such as state aid but we are being mindful.

The LDA has been established with a full interim board and the names of those on the board have been published. Mr. John Moran, the chairman, has spoken at length about what he hopes the LDA can achieve while keeping to the vision we have as a Government. It is important that when we bring the legislation through, we address every matter that has to be addressed and that we do so in a timely fashion. Deputy Darragh O'Brien mentioned a future Government and the composition and ideas it may have. I do not want to leave the matter to a future Government. Given that the LDA is up and running and working, has sites and wants to lodge planning applications, it is important we get it set up on its own two feet as quickly as possible. That is my ambition, as Minister, between now and the election in May 2020.

See this speech in context