Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 458: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the exact details asked of each county and city council in regard to council land banks that were to be included in the land aggregation scheme; the county and city council lands being forwarded for inclusion in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36196/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2010, my Department issued a circular letter to housing authorities 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.

For the purpose of this land audit, information was sought on the location, size, title, zoning status, whether the site is serviced or not, and the timeframe for development of each site (i.e. if development is planned to occur within the next five years). GIS co-ordinates were also requested, if available.

Housing Authorities were also asked to indicate whether the land was the subject of a Housing Finance Agency (HFA) loan. Where this is the case, information was sought on the original advance amount; start date and term of loan; interest paid to date and the current outstanding principal on the loan.

Following submission of their land audit, local authorities have been given the option to apply to my Department to recoup the cost of outstanding loans that are due to mature before the end of 2010 and where it is considered that the land involved is unlikely to be developed in the short to medium term. Subject to available funding my Department will pay off the costs of the land and transfer ownership to Housing and Sustainable Communities Ltd. These lands will continue to be available for social housing if housing projects are advanced by authorities under the Social Housing Investment Programme.

To date, my Department has received applications, including Council approval, from five authorities seeking inclusion in the Land Aggregation Scheme. The details of these are set out in the table below.

It is expected that further requests from housing authorities to transfer lands under the scheme will be made in the coming months.