Dáil debates

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

State Lands

9:24 am

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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5. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the development of the register of relevant lands; if the Land Development Agency, LDA, is on track to complete the register and make it available online by the end of quarter 4 2022, as per the target date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59701/22]

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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My question is specific. I am asking for an update on the status of the development of the register of relevant lands and if the LDA is on track to complete the register.

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The LDA is on schedule to complete the register of relevant lands in line with the target delivery date and the register will be made available in an online map format in the coming weeks and in advance of the end of this year. Its contents are informed by the LDA's State lands database and by engagement with the Property Registration Authority, Ordinance Survey Ireland and other relevant public bodies.

Relevant public land is defined in the Land Development Agency Act 2021 as all land within a census town owned by a relevant public body. A census town is any urban area with a population of over 10,000, accurate to the latest census information. The register will serve as an important and strategic mapping tool that will show the extent of public lands and help to enhance transparency regarding State land interests. The register will be maintained and updated by the LDA. The register will support the LDA's remit to identify and assess the potential of certain public lands to be better utilised for the development of housing and other development into the future. The database being available in full is important progress and I expect it will play a significant role in identifying public land for strategic development for both social and affordable housing.

I want to confirm to the Deputy that it is on track and on schedule. I expect to see details on it next week and as soon as the work is concluded it will be published in an online format with a mapping tool so everyone can access it. We want to see idle State lands in particular developed for social and affordable housing. Thankfully we are seeing that this year and we are seeing the LDA deliver its first homes this year. We have seen significant sites like Shanganagh Castle start and there are many others across the country I want to see us move forward with, including in the Deputy's constituency in Galway.

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I welcome that positive news. However, I stay guarded in my welcome because the LDA was set up on a non-statutory basis over four years ago and the first job it had to do was carry out an audit. Over four years later we do not have the audit. It has been on a statutory basis for over a year and we still do not have the audit. I welcome the audit and if the Minister is saying we will have it by the end of the year that is positive. We need that; it is the most basic tool and we have a housing crisis. As I listen to the headlines today, once again the head of the Simon Community in Galway has made known her fear at what is happening in Galway. The level of homelessness is rising and there are no available properties under the rental accommodation scheme, RAS, or the housing assistance programme, HAP.

On the register of relevant lands, the most basic thing is to get it and then we will see how it will be used. I have a worry that we might use some of it inappropriately in an emergency situation. If land is zoned as recreational and amenity land, I have a difficulty with the possibility of that land being taken.

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy again for the question. I understand what she is saying. One of the priorities I had when I became a Minister was to legislate for the LDA, which we have done. The agency has capitalised and it is delivering its first homes. It has done extensive work on planning and mapping out relevant sites.

It is important that people understand that the register of relevant lands will show the State-owned lands. I remember this coming up in debates before. It is not a question that high amenity or recreational lands will be used, even if they are included in the register. It will show what the zoning of those lands is and then we will decide what the appropriate use will be.

In communities where recreational land is zoned as such, we have enough idle State land to deliver homes on residentially zoned land or on brownfield sites within our towns and cities. Those are the sites we are going to be focusing on. I assure Deputy Connolly of this.

9:34 am

Photo of Catherine ConnollyCatherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I find it a little reassuring that we will be focusing on brownfield sites. I worry, however, about recreational land. I hear what the Minister is saying, but I have seen previous moves to change this designation. Many times these have come about via motions from councillors. This is still being done in Galway, where land is still being rezoned. This is one aspect of the matter. I think of Merlin Park Woods and the huge battle to save it. This is the equivalent of the park in New York, which started out at 800 acres. Merlin Park Wood in Galway is 150 acres and it should be used to its maximum potential for amenities.

Be that as it may, what about organisations that are not public entities, such as religious organisations or other institutions that have land? Will we ever look at this context to see what potential exists in this regard? Regarding Galway city, I worry there is no overall master plan for the common good. There is no architect and no joined-up thinking between the public land and the docks, Ceannt Station, Sandy Road and Headford Road. This is a serious concern.

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I know Galway city and county well. I have been out in Connemara on several occasions as well as in the city. There are lands in the county, such as the Dyke Road site, which the Deputy will be familiar with. There is also the Sandy Road site. There are sites there we can develop. The register will deal with State lands. The Deputy mentioned the example of lands owned by religious orders. We are seeing some of that come forward in local areas. I want to see that happen. I have written to both of the main churches and engaged with them regarding how we can get this land for use for the development of housing. Fundamentally, we need more homes. We need more social homes. I am pleased to tell the Deputy we are going to deliver more social homes this year - new-build social homes and new social homes - than we have in decades, as well as affordable homes for the first time in a generation. This is happening and I welcome the Deputy's support for this.

I genuinely believe, and I mean this, that I do not believe, through the Land Development Agency, LDA, local residents anywhere in the country should have concerns regarding land zoned for recreation being used in an inappropriate way. We have enough land that can be developed. The Deputy mentioned the docks site in Galway city. I am also very familiar with it and I am anxious to see us move forward with this project. The good thing this year is that we have seen work start on significant sites, such as Shanganagh, as I mentioned, and St. Kevin's in Cork. Work has started on these projects and these are the ones we are going after.