Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. It is a particularly important matter for me. I also thank the Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy English, for coming to the House to discuss it. The Minister of State will be familiar with Shanganagh Castle but I will clarify some matters for those who are not.

Shanganagh Castle and its surrounding land of 28 acres were sold by the Department of Justice and Equality when Senator McDowell was the Minister in that Department. The council purchased 21 acres for €9 million and a further 6.3 acres comprising the period house, which is a protected structure, and surrounding grounds. What has happened since 2002? We are experiencing a housing crisis, as the Minister of State knows better than most, yet there is an issue with Shanganagh Castle. I acknowledge the work of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county councillors who, on a cross-party basis, have worked well together despite a number of obstacles and frustrations to try to get this site up and running. We talk about Rebuilding Ireland and tackling affordable and social housing, yet there is frustration that this site is not coming on stream. The Minister and Minister of State are committed but somehow there is a blockage with this site.It cannot be tolerated that we have such a blockage for an asset that is zoned and potentially ready for development, although I accept there are a number of infrastructural issues that need to be addressed. We have a housing crisis, nowhere more so than in Dún Laoghaire. There are thousands of people on social housing lists and while this applies to the whole country, it is particularly acute in an area where property prices are exorbitant - the highest in the country, as records will show.

I want to know who is funding this project and at what stage of development it is. Will this site be hived off to the Land Development Agency or any other agency? What is happening? The Minister of State and the Department owe it to the elected members to clarify what is going on. The Department owes it to the chief executive and the staff in the housing and planning departments of the council to explain what its plans are. It is getting harder to keep going back to people to say there is a delay with this massive site in Shanganagh, one of the finest sites for residential use in the country, as I believe the Minister of State will agree, having been there. When is it going to happen? What is the timeline for this to start? When will we see JCBs on the ground? What is the model that will be used and is the Department working with the council on this issue? How much will be social housing and how much affordable housing? All of those issues need to be addressed but there is a lack of clarity. I spoke to the elected members as recently as yesterday. There is absolute frustration as to what is going on between the executive, the elected members and the Department. All three need to come together to give greater clarity on how we can deliver much-needed affordable and social housing on this key site. I would appreciate a comprehensive overview of the timelines and funding commitments from the Minister of State.