Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding sites that were previously transferred from the Office of Public Works to private contractors under a public private partnership arrangement to build affordable housing which are no longer being developed; if the land will revert back to the State; if the land will be transferred to local authorities for the provision of social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9535/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Between 2003 and 2008, the Government assigned sites in the ownership of local authorities, Government Departments and other State bodies for use under the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI). Three sites were transferred with the intention of development using a public private partnership, to provide affordable and/or social housing under the AHI. The sites in question were Office of Public Works lands at Jamestown Road and Infirmary Road, and Department of Defence lands at St Bricin's. All three transferred to Dublin City Council and remain in the ownership of that local authority.

The Government decided in January 2010 to wind down the affordable housing initiative with the lands already transferred to local authorities, namely, the three sites mentioned above, remaining with the local authority. The land may be used for whatever housing purpose the local authority decides to be the most appropriate, having regard to housing needs in the area. Where the lands are not required for housing purposes, they may be used for whatever other purpose the local authority considers appropriate.