John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for bringing this Bill before us, which seeks to formally establish the LDA. The latter has the potential to be a very useful tool in the delivery of large-scale residential projects across the State, particularly in the main urban centres. Any individual or party that is serious about tackling the supply issues in housing should warmly welcome the establishment of this agency, which will bring significant additionality to the work of local authorities that have been empowered to deliver vast quantities of affordable housing, be it affordable-purchase homes or cost-rental homes through the Affordable Housing Bill. I use the word "additionality" very carefully because it is not a case of replacing the role of local authorities, as some have suggested in the lead-up to this debate. In fact, the resources the LDA will be able to bring to the table will assist local authorities in master planning and the technical preparation of sites. In addition, what the Government is doing in terms of the provisions included in the Affordable Housing Bill is empowering local authorities to deliver affordable-purchase homes and cost-rental homes in association with approved housing bodies. We are going to see those ambitious targets being set out by the Minister in the coming weeks under the new Housing for All plan.

The LDA must identify a number of additional sites in early course.We know that the LDA has been working on master planning and developing nine sites in recent years. What I would like to see the LDA doing in early course is identifying the next 19 sites in urban centres across the country, including in my county of Waterford and especially in the city. That would signal an intent by the agency to step up the delivery of large-scale units across the country.

I will address some of the main points and provisions in the Bill. We must examine whether the allocation of €1.25 million and the lending capacity for an additional €1.25 million is sufficient capitalisation for the agency. The Minister of State might comment on that.

I saw the beta version of the register of relevant public lands on the LDA's website, which is provided for in the Bill. There is a mapping tool for local authority areas. The city of Waterford was included. It will be a very useful tool for all urban populations of more than 10,000 to see where the public land assets lie, with whom and how they can be progressed in early course. There has been some comment on the CPO powers not going far enough. I believe negotiation is always the best way of resolving issues but it is appropriate that the LDA has the ability to acquire ransom strips.

I am conscious that I must hand over to my colleague, Senator Kyne, but I wish to briefly refer to market value. As the Minister of State identified, it is a technical definition as a result of state-aid rules. What we are looking at here is an affordable land value in terms of transfer which will result in minimal to no cost on a transfer. People keep referring to market value, but when one considers that 100% of a site in Dublin or Cork will be utilised for social and affordable housing, that will result in minimal to no value.

My final point before I hand over relates to sections 56 and 183. I welcome the fact that the Bill provides that where a local authority identifies land for recreational purpose, for example, in a development plan that the executive cannot go over and above the councillors to transfer the land. It only applies in the case of residential land. That should not be a factor because if councils have land in their armoury that is zoned residential, local authorities will have the resources to be able to develop that. I will hand over to my colleague.