Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the total acreage of land held by the various local authorities throughout the country; the number of houses provided on such lands in the past five years; the amount of any such lands disposed of and the purpose for which in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4300/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 290: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the extent to which local authorities have augmented their land bank, with particular reference to future housing needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4301/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together.

Details of the total acreage of land held by local authorities are not available in the precise form requested. Data on zoned land owned by each local authority as at June 2004 were sought by them as part of the national inventory of zoned residential land survey. While the overall results of this survey were published this week, the remaining data have not yet been fully collated or verified. These data will be provided to the Deputy when available but it will only provide a picture at one point in time.

Broader data on total land holding by local authorities will be reflected in the local authority accounting system under the accruals accounting basis. Details are not yet available as returns, containing the value of both zoned and unzoned lands held by the local authorities at 31 December 2004, are currently being submitted to the Department. Details of disposal of lands and the purpose of disposals are matters for the local authorities concerned.

Many local authorities have incurred borrowing in recent years to build up their land banks for social and affordable housing purposes. In total, €438 million has been borrowed between 2000 and 2004 from the Housing Finance Agency for this purpose. With the passing of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, local authorities have the option of acquiring land or sites from developers to meet these needs.

Full information on social and affordable housing provision is available in the statistical bulletins on the Department's website and the Oireachtas Library. Output under schemes, which would be specifically built on land acquired by local authorities, is set out in the following table.

The figures would not include full provision of social and affordable housing by the local authorities as other measures, most particularly acquisitions including turnkey projects and lettings of existing stock, form an important element of their response to social housing need.