Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the nominal value of any loans being considered for transfer from a local authority to his Department and or to the National Asset Management Agency by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21544/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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My Department issued a circular to housing authorities in early April 2010 setting out revised arrangements for the funding of land used for social housing and seeking information on local authority residential land holdings for the purpose of land-use strategy planning. This circular invites authorities to apply to my Department to recoup the cost of outstanding loans on the land where these loans are due to mature before the end of 2010 and where it is considered that the land is unlikely to be developed in the short to medium term. Subject to available funding my Department may pay off the costs of the land and transfer ownership to a central agency. These lands will continue to be available for social housing if housing projects are advanced by authorities under the Social Housing Investment Programme.

There is no proposal to transfer lands or loans currently held by local authorities to the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). However, it is intended that my Department will work closely with NAMA in the interests of proper planning and to secure best use of public land.