Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for that and for making it clear that the vision for the LDA is to use public lands and meet the needs of all of our community, not just some sections of it. The ability to crack the affordability issue for many who want to buy their own home is central to the agency.

Will the Minister of State explain how the agency will deal with the Oscar Traynor Road site? There have been meetings and it has been suggested that the Minister should meet all parties to discuss how this project can move forward. The site is exemplary and blocking the development was a bad decision. Worse than that, if this approach continues, it will undermine the value of the agency that the Government is seeking to put in place. It is important that the Government make clear that the purpose of the Land Development Agency is to ensure that we confront the bad approach of private-only development in this country, which has not resulted in the ideal approach, balanced development and planned schemes of compact and sustainable housing that we want for the future.

It is important that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage sits down with the NESC and work this out. We need a fit-for-purpose vehicle because we must be bold and ambitious. We are facing major changes. Not only will there be a 1 million population increase, but we must address that increase in a way that halves our impact on climate in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and caters for a rapidly ageing population. We need an agency that can devise a master plan for the new vision of Ireland that these changes entail.

I commend the Minister of State on his work to date and ask him to ensure that the proper approach is enshrined, one that serves our entire community rather than just sections of it.

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