Seán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State. I acknowledge the work of all colleagues on the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill in the committee. I also acknowledge the work done previously by the then Minister, Eoghan Murphy, to establish the LDA as an entity and to put it on a statutory footing. It is hugely important legislation that effectively acts as a game-changer for strategic lands across the country.

I can point to my area of Galway and the strategic lands at Sandy Road and the Dyke Road at Galway Port. The city council is engaging with the LDA on the development of affordable housing in those areas. They are hugely important, strategic lands at the heart of Galway city within easy commuting distance by walking and cycling. It is a right and proper use of these strategic lands. I acknowledge the importance of the LDA to try to move the situation forward, develop master plans and bring the projects through the planning process, which we expect to see next year for both the Dyke Road and Sandy Road, and the appointment of multidisciplinary design teams to prepare these master plans and go for planning permissions.I certainly hope the planning process through An Bord Pleanála will not unduly delay these vital projects and people will have the ability to submit their views. I have, however, expressed my concerns many times in this House regarding planning applications for all types of projects, whether they relate to housing, transport or greenways, being delayed and tied up. The people who suffer are those who are waiting for affordable cost-rental homes, which are key and at the heart of the LDA project.

I welcome the Bill and the potential within it in terms of acting to develop homes. It is all about providing and increasing the supply of affordable cost-rental homes across strategic sites. I look forward to the Bill's development and its progress through the House.