Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to update the House on the LDA and its role in the use of State lands. The programme for Government commits to the State playing a greater role in providing affordable and social homes, with a focus on low and middle-income earners and developing sustainable mixed-tenure communities. These principles guide housing policy as well as the agency's work in assembling strategic sites in urban areas and ensuring the sustainable development of social and affordable homes for rent and purchase. This will include ensuring that the public housing rental stock on public lands is under the control of local authorities, approved housing bodies or similar bodies. The programme for Government provides that any State land being offered for sale would automatically be offered first to the LDA. This would mean that, if such lands could be acquired by the agency, it would ensure that they remained in the State's ownership and were used to provide appropriate housing in line with the agency's mandate.

The agency was established on an interim basis in September 2018 by way of an establishment order. A revised general scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill to establish the agency as a commercial State agency was approved by Government order in October for priority drafting. It is intended that the legislation will be published shortly. My Department is working closely with the Office of the Attorney General on this draft legislation to ensure that the agency is given all the necessary powers to carry out its functions in line with those envisaged in the recently published NESC report.

The Land Development Agency has an immediate focus on managing the State's lands to develop new homes and regenerate underutilised sites in the long term. It will assemble strategic land banks from a mix of public and private lands, making these available for housing in a controlled manner that brings essential long-term stability to the housing market. Along with its initial eight sites, the agency is working in partnership with local authorities to develop a master plan at a range of strategic sites, for example, the Shanganagh Castle site. The agency, in partnership with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, has been granted planning permission for the development of 597 homes on that site. It is intended that approximately 34% of the units in the development will be for social housing, 51% will be for cost rental and 15% will be for affordable purchase.

The tenure mix of sites will be considered on a site-by-site basis, taking into account the need to counteract undue segregation in the housing of persons from different social backgrounds. In addition, mixed tenures can help foster the organic growth of sustainable mixed communities.

As part of its remit, the LDA is working to develop an inventory of all relevant public lands to allow for the better management of, and strategic planning in respect of, these assets and the unlocking of their urban regeneration potential.

I acknowledge the role played by the former Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, in outlining the vision for the agency and devising it as a key tool for delivering social and affordable homes in mixed tenures on behalf of the State. This will provide high-quality homes for our citizens. The NESC report shines a light on how we can develop this process and the powers that the agency needs to be given to make a substantial impact on the housing market. I would have no issue with the Department and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, meeting the NESC, given that the council is an important actor in this process. I thank the Deputy for the work his did on this matter as a member of the previous Government alongside Deputy Eoghan Murphy.

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