Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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89. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the work his Department is doing to support and accelerate transit-oriented development, in particular medium-to-high density housing projects around high-capacity transport nodes in our urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11962/23]

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I wish to ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the work his Department is doing to support and accelerate transit-oriented development, in particular medium-to-high density and high-quality housing projects around high-capacity transport nodes in urban areas. It very much applies to suburban areas as well. I also ask if the Minister of State will make a statement on the matter.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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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.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I thank the Minister of State for the reply. He referred to the Colbert Quarter in Limerick, a very ambitious LDA project for residential and mixed-use development. It will support thousands of people to live and work in the heart of Limerick city, right beside Colbert Station.

I recognise the work of the working group that was set up in December 2021. Its focus has been on Dublin up to now. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, will know the project very well. We must start to focus on the other cities. Limerick has incredible potential for transit-oriented development, and not just in the Colbert Quarter around the main train station. The transport strategy supports the development of further train stations around the underutilised lines. Limerick is unique in the Irish context in that we have four lines going in and out of the city and there is provision in the transport strategy for multiple train stations around Limerick. We should look at this not simply as a transport strategy but as a housing development strategy as well. There is potential for housing around all of the transport nodes in Limerick.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I agree wholeheartedly. In preparation for today’s questions, I looked at the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, report into transport-orientated development and the need, throughout central and local government, to align it through the sustainable development goals, in particular those relating to sustainable cities and communities, the national planning framework and, as the Deputy noted, the role of the LDA in the Colbert Quarter. It is critical that we progress work relating to the other major urban centres. On Monday, there was a major announcement regarding the development of the Waterford quays. The NESC research recognises transport-orientated development and its role in underpinning affordable housing and sustainable urban development. We need to include this urban view in the context even of the nature restoration law. If the urban agenda is to be included in that, we will need to disincentivise urban sprawl. That is why the critical element of this relates to transport and linking it with sustainable urban development.

Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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I re-emphasise the potential of Limerick, but I think that potential exists in all Irish cities. It is not just about rail transport but also about developing bus networks and housing in conjunction with that.

I take the train, as does the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, to and from Dublin every week. We pass through Portlaoise and we can see that town developing at pace because of the opportunity provided by the rail service between Portlaoise and Dublin. Developers, that is, the private sector, are responding to the service that exists in Portlaoise and high-density and high-quality development is happening in places such as that.

There is potential throughout the country and that is in the context of the national planning framework. There will be an additional 1 million people in this country by 2040. We have to think about where they will live and we have to make it easy for them to get around. When we are making decisions about development, we should put that development where the high-capacity transport network is.

Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Again, I agree wholeheartedly. The Department has invested significant moneys from the URDF in the Opera site in Limerick. This is not just about the large urban centres; it is also about smaller urban centres. Road projects and, perhaps, unsustainable projects in some locations will need to be reconsidered. The NESC research is clear. It states that we must build on the vision set out in Project Ireland 2040 in order to maximise the number of homes, jobs, services and amenities close to nodes at which frequent and high-quality transport can be accessed. This is relates to key locations and looking at new institutional arrangements and funding mechanisms. The Government will not be found wanting in this regard. We must align what is proposed here with Housing for All and all of our wider ambitions. It is critical that local authorities be skilled to meet these challenges as well.