Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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163. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide information on plans by his Department to initiate a social housing building programme in County Louth on land banks reserved for social housing which are currently costing Louth County Council upwards of €3 million per year in interest only payments which are deducted from the council's annual budget; if he will refer to the plans, timeframe and number of units on same lands at Ballymakenny Road in Drogheda, Mount Avenue and the Point Road in Dundalk and lands in Dunleer, County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5054/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The provision of social housing services is a matter for each local authority as the housing authority for its area. Each authority has responsibility for identifying their area’s social housing need and responding as required, including planning and undertaking new social housing developments to meet this need. My Department is currently engaging with all local authorities in respect of their individual plans for social housing developments, and in the case of Louth County Council, I expect that they will have regard to the suitability and availability of land banks when making proposals.