Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Housing for All is the Government's housing plan to 2030. The aim is to deliver an average of 33,000 new homes a year over the lifetime of this plan. Objective 26.1 is to "Establish a working group to consider opportunities for transport-led development in major urban centres" comprising membership from my Department, the Department of Transport, the National Transport Authority and the Land Development Agency, LDA.

In December 2021, my Department and the Department of Transport established a working group to consider opportunities for transit-oriented development in major urban centres under this action. The working group is currently reviewing opportunities for such developments in the five cities designated under the national planning framework, namely, Dublin, Cork, Limerick, which the Teachta will be interested in, Galway and Waterford. The intention is to identify brownfield and greenfield lands that are in close proximity to existing or proposed high-capacity public transport transit-oriented development, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including local authorities. The focus in 2022 and early this year has been on Dublin and the group will look at the other four cities in 2023. Identification of these strategic sites will ensure future housing delivery is sustainable, and in line with our action against climate change. The housing must be sustainable, quality housing. The outputs from this work will inform work within both Departments in support of the national strategic outcomes of the national planning framework and Project Ireland 2040, in particular legislative and policy proposals relating to compact growth and sustainable mobility.

I am aware the Deputy has a particular interest in the LDA's plan for Colbert Station, which we have previously spoken about, and the urgency in progressing that. I will refer to it in my supplementary reply. I will also refer to the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy. It is critically important that we achieve high density and high-quality residential projects. This is as much about transport as it is about development.

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