Catherine Ardagh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I raise a housing issue I have raised previously in the House. It relates to the Player Wills site on the South Circular Road. This site abuts a site owned by Dublin City Council at St. Teresa's Gardens. It is in the control of NAMA and is on the vacant sites register with a value of €23 million. In the week NAMA put it up for sale, I asked in the House that the Government take control of the property for mixed housing use, but this has not happened. This is a great example of how we could have a really well planned urban village off the South Circular Road. When the Player Wills site and St. Teresa's Gardens are taken into account, it is an enormous site. We need to come up with clever planning solutions and a way to develop the site so that it is in harmony with the rest of the area.

The area lacks playing fields and an area within the St. Teresa's Gardens site is earmarked for a decent playing pitch. We need to ensure a planning application is submitted and see some movement on the St. Teresa's Gardens site. If the NAMA site is sold to a private developer we need to ensure the private developer develops it in line with the ultimate plan for the area because it represents a great opportunity.

I express my disgust at the vandalising of the Haunting Soldier statue in St. Stephen's Green.