Written answers

Tuesday, 24 November 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Land Acquisition

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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545. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government a list of lands that have been acquired by State agencies under his control, such as the Housing Agency, from local authorities under the land aggregation scheme, by postal address, amount of lands acquired, loan payments entered into, reasons for acquisition, and future use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41571/15]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The Land Aggregation Scheme was introduced in 2010 as part of revised arrangements for the funding of land for social housing purposes. The primary purpose of the Scheme was to assist in the gradual unwinding of loans taken out by housing authorities to purchase land for the social and affordable housing investment programme. Applications to the value of some €163 million in loans were accepted into the Land Aggregation Scheme. The figure of €163 million includes €111 million in respect of loans which were fully redeemed by local authorities with funding recouped from my Department, under the original terms of the Scheme. The remaining €52 million accepted into the Land Aggregation Scheme is in the form of annuity loans, for which local authorities are making repayments to the Housing Finance Agency. Such annuity repayments are recoupable from my Department subject to the local authority complying with the terms of the Scheme.

In 2013, as a consequence of continuing pressure on Exchequer resources, and following a review of the Scheme carried out in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, it became evident that further expenditure on the Land Aggregation Scheme, in terms of accepting new applications, was no longer a sustainable option. The review concluded with the issuance of Circular 35/2013 on 11 December 2013, notifying Local Authorities of the discontinuance of the Scheme in respect of new applications.

The focus of the Scheme has now shifted to the management and future utilisation of the lands included in the Scheme. Details of the sites accepted into the Land Aggregation Scheme are set out in the following tables.

Table 1: Sitesacceptedunder the first phaseof the Scheme( Loan capital and interestfully redeemed).

Previous OwnerLocation Value of Loan accepted into the scheme (Capital and Interest ) Size of Site
[€] [ha]
Carlow County Council Tinryland 499,835 1.9
Carlow County Council Slate Row, Hacketstown 611,677 3.2
Clare County Council Lisdoonvarna 2,189,982 4.4
Cork County Council Meelin 115,032 1.6
Cork County Council Oakwood, Macroom 1,126,472 2.3
Cork County Council Colleras, Goleen 348,337 0.5
Cork County Council Knocknagree 241,595 1.3
Cork County Council Lombardstown 152,184 1.3
Cork County Council The Slip, Bantry, 2,788,750 13.5
Cork County CouncilCarrigtwohill 1,474,014 2
Dún Laoghaire- Rathdown County Council Enniskerry Road, Sandyford 10,257,875 2.8
Fingal County Council Hampton, Balbriggan 26,479,174 24.2
Galway City Council Ballymoneen Road, Ballyburke 7,006,412 2.5
Kildare County Council Kildare, Brallistown 1,929,294 4.0
Kildare County Council Nurney 829,896 4.2
Kildare County Council Clane 3,595,901 8.5
Kildare County Council Naas , Craddockstown 4,750,580 7.9
Laois County Council Castletown 111,392 1.5
Laois County Council Portlaoise Road, Mountrath 849,818 3.1
Laois County Council Golflinks Road Rathdowney 342,669 2
Laois County Council Adj. to Cemetery Ballinakill 178,188 1.3
Laois County Council Woodbrook, Mountrath 370,383 1.7
Limerick County Council Glin 124,123 0.5
Limerick County Council Ballyhahill 54,466 1.2
Limerick County Council Mountcollins 135,694 1.5
Limerick County Council Knocklong 434,019 3.5
Limerick County Council Bruff 229,899 2.1
Mallow Town Council St Joseph's Road, Mallow 3,877,077 5.3
Meath County Council Townparks Kells 2,516,242 4.4
Naas Town Council Naas Devoy Barracks 11,522,100 5.6
National Building Agency Cartontroy-Kilnafaddoge and Lissywollen, Athlone 4,167,544 5.5
National Building Agency Tullow Road, Carlow 3,327,875 2
Offaly County Council Shinrone 371,847 2.9
Sligo County Council Ballintogher 274,344 1.3
Sligo County Council Tubbercurry 34,062 0.2
Sligo County Council Lisnalurg 4,828,276 11.8
Tralee Town Council Ballyard, Tralee 5,585,790 8.3
Waterford County Council Townpark East, Tallow 871,053 4.3
Waterford City Council Gibbet Hill 1,620,215 2.9
Wexford County Council Creagh B Demesne, Gorey 270,933 0.7
Wexford County Council Ballyowen, Ramsfort Park Gorey 701,448 1
Wexford County Council Hospital Hill, Bunclody 1,252,881 4.4
Wexford County Council Parish Field, Bunclody 283,233 0.7
Wexford County Council Taghmon, Wexford 829,214 3.4
Wexford County Council Carrick on Bannow 111,339 0.5
Wicklow Town Council Hillview, Ballynerrin, Wicklow Town 1,390,145 2.9
Total € 111,063,279 172. 6 ha

Table 2: Sites accepted under the second phaseof the Scheme(Annuity repayments recoupablefrom the Departmentof the Environment, Community and Local Government).

Local Authority Location Value of Loan accepted into the scheme (Capital and Interest) Size of Site
[€] [ha]
Carlow County Council Royal Oak Road, Bagenalstown 50,484 * 0.11
Carlow County Council Paupish 960,510 2.2
Cork County Council Dripsey 708,517 1.295
Cork County Council Cloughmacsimon, Bandon 3,006,467 3.63
Cork County Council Duntahane Rd, Fermoy 3,535,156 3.98
Cork County Council The Miles. Clonakilty 1,066,686 2.464
Cork County Council Stag Park, Mitchelstown 3,781,435 8.59
Cork County Council Barrack Rd, Youghal 1,136,077 1.16
Cork County Council Townsend St, Skibbereen 253,467 0.13
Cork County Council Union Hall 622,233 1.403
Dundalk Town Council Mount Avenue 4,158,868 3.09
Fingal County Council Garristown 1,554,333 2.77
Fingal County Council Hackettstown 7,285,629 7.3
Laois County Council Abbeyleix Rd 1,383,355 1.491
Laois County Council Derry Rd Durrow 554,089 1.0281
Laois County Council Old Knockmay Rd Portlaoise 2,067,744 1.031
Laois County Council Bride St Ballinakill 340,360 0.92
Laois County Council Doonane 123,158 0.7405
Laois County Council Golflinks Rd (2) 1,243,534 2.132
Limerick County Council Cappamore 99,397 1.25
Offaly County Council Kilcormac 622,331 1.2165
Sligo Borough Council Ballindoe 8,830,267 15.1753
Tullamore Town Council Collins Lane 4,836,978 4.34
Wexford County Council Campile Ballykerogue 236,635 0.76
Wexford County Council Castlemoyle A and B New Ross 3,744,513 5.96
Total € 52, 202 , 222 74. 16 64 ha

* Royal Oak Road, Bagenalstownwas accepted under the second phase of the scheme. However given the loan amount involved, €50,484, it was decided that it would be more efficient and effective to redeem the loan in full. Accordingly no interest payment arises in relation to that site.

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