Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the opportunity to discuss and examine the Bill to establish the Land Development Agency on a statutory basis, as the Minister outlined earlier. The Land Development Agency has one key priority which is to increase the supply of social, affordable and sustainable housing. The agency will utilise State lands to build social and affordable housing while creating sustainable communities. The agency is already working on nine sites across Ireland to develop 4,000 homes in co-operation with local authorities.

Shanganagh in Shankill in my constituency is a perfect example of this where the Land Development Agency is working with the local authority there. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council approved a partial transfer of land of the site to the LDA. The Minister has now allocated €18 million and almost 600 units will be delivered with planning permission already in place. The development of that site is under way and we will see bricks and mortar very soon. That site will contain 200 social homes, 91 houses for affordable purchase, and 306 cost rental units, which is to be welcomed.

Based on what I have heard from constituents, they are eager to apply to the scheme. They have heard about affordable housing for many years but have never been able to apply. This unlocks that potential. It is beyond me as to how anybody in this House could suggest they would not support affordable housing after spending years of talking about affordable housing. These cost rental homes will provide an affordable option for people whose earnings are above the threshold for social housing support but who struggle to rent. As the Minister has outlined in his contribution, those people, whom we have all met, are trapped in the rental market.

For years those in Opposition parties have spoken about affordable housing and other housing solutions to assist gardaí, retail workers and other workers, hard-working people who struggle to pay the existing rent for the houses they are in at the moment. This project will deliver for workers, not only in my constituency of Dún Laoghaire but throughout Ireland. The simple message from the people who attended meetings such as the one I hosted with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and councillors Justin Moylan and Michael Clarke is that they just want homes built. They want practical solutions and an end to the endless ideological debates about housing.

The Land Development Agency Bill is good news for people who are currently renting. We need to provide a solution for those people. We gave a commitment that we would do that, and this Bill does just that. The Land Development Agency has long-term Government funding and access to State-owned lands and the industry experts to support such innovation. Ultimately, it is about providing affordable and social homes for rent and purchase. I welcome the Minister's clarification addressing genuine concern about the Bill. I call on all Deputies to support the legislation and help to end the housing crisis.

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