Joe Walsh (Cork South West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing this important matter relating to west Cork to be taken on the Adjournment. I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern. In 2003, Teagasc made 15 hectares of land from its agricultural college adjacent to Clonakilty available for affordable housing. This is very welcome and greatly appreciated by the local people. Clonakilty and the surrounding area is a growth area where sites are very expensive. It is a coastal region and houses typically make €350,000 to €550,000. Younger people, even those with two good salaries cannot afford the cost of housing. This affordable housing scheme is welcome. The affordable housing initiative is very laudable and has the support of all parties in the House and the social partners.

I would like to see this development accelerated as it is now 2005. I appreciate that good and prudent planning must be made. I and those living in the area wish to see this exciting project done correctly. We do not wish a development to be thrown together in a higgedly-piggedly fashion but rather we wish to have a nice rural village. A church and school and an existing village are situated beside the site and this lends itself to twinning with the new development. Will the Minister of State say what progress is being made regarding this matter? Clonakilty is a priority town for decentralisation. Eighty jobs in the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources are being located in the town and 140 civil servants have volunteered for those 80 posts. The area has a long housing list and there is an acute need for housing. I ask the Minister of State to give a timescale for the completion of this project.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I thank Deputy Walsh for raising this matter and allowing me to update the House on progress on the affordable housing initiative site at Clonakilty. As the House is aware, the affordable housing initiative was included as one of the ten special initiatives negotiated with the parties to the pay agreement in Sustaining Progress. The initiative is aimed at those who in the past would have expected to purchase a house from their own resources but find that they are unable to do so in the current housing market. What is proposed and now under way is to release State and local authority lands to the initiative, which have the potential to yield 10,000 housing units.

Significant progress continues to be made on the initiative, with more than 70 projects on State and local authority lands planned, which together with the projected 2,500 affordable housing units under Part V of the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2004, gives the 10,000-unit target proposed by the parties to the pay agreement. All projects are now being progressed as a matter of urgency to ensure delivery of units as soon as possible.

A number of alternative strategies are also being examined which may accelerate the delivery of housing units. A land swap option, involving the exchange of land for units that could be delivered more quickly elsewhere is being piloted on the Harcourt Terrace site in Dublin. This was advertised in November of last year. I understand that there has been considerable interest in this option, with short-listing currently under way in Dublin City Council. This project will be closely monitored with a view to using the land swap option on other sites.

Like the Harcourt Terrace site, the site at Darrara Agricultural College in Clonakilty was one of the sites released to the initiative by the Department of Agriculture and Food. I appreciate the constructive co-operation of Deputy Walsh as Minister for Agriculture and Food in ensuring those major contributions to the initiative.

Given the scale and impact of the development, it was felt appropriate to have a comprehensive evaluation to progress the proposal. In this context, Cork County Council considered that a high-quality assessment involving the appropriate technical components would be necessary. This arises from the need to comprehend all aspects of the proposed development and ultimately to facilitate earliest delivery of housing units having taken all relevant factors into account. Cork County Council initially advertised on 7 August 2004 for consultants to undertake a thorough feasibility assessment in terms of strategic land use planning, financial viability, affordability and suitable infrastructural solutions. Six submissions were received and following a shortlisting process two candidates were invited for interview. Cork County Council has advised that it has appointed Colin Buchanan and Partners as consultants for the project. The consultants had an initial meeting with a range of officials from the council on 19 January and it was agreed that the feasibility study would be completed by the end of May.

The study will result in a range of conceptual design options, with a number of suitable settlement models being brought forward for discussion. Following the selection of a suitable model, detailed design and planning will be necessary. The number of housing units to be provided on this site, which is approximately 15 hectares, and the timeframe for its completion are difficult to predict at this stage and will depend on feasibility and other studies and the planning process.

I am also aware that there is a great deal of interest locally in the site. As part of the feasibility study, arrangements are being made for the consultants to meet local representatives and members of the community. This follows on from consultations initiated previously by the council. Deputy Walsh previously mentioned concerns and reservations had been expressed locally and some objections to the scheme may arise. I hope the local consultation process being put in place will help to deal with these objections and ensure the smooth passage of the project through the planning process.

I will, however, continue to ensure that this project, along with all of the other projects under the initiative, is progressed as speedily as possible with the aim of having the earliest possible delivery of units. I have listened to Deputy Walsh who was instrumental in having the site in question made available for the affordable housing initiative. Like him, I want the houses built as soon as possible. Progress is being made although it may be slower than the Deputy would like. I hope the timetable Cork County Council has outlined regarding the consultant's report is maintained and we can move on quickly.