Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 650 together.

I assume the Questions refer to the circa 700 sites in local authority ownership and the sites held by the Housing Agency under the Land Aggregation Scheme, which are referenced on page 50 of Rebuilding Ireland – Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, in the context of the potential for mixed-tenure development on State-owned and other lands.

The active pursuit of progressing housing developments on State lands, including local authority lands, is a major part of the new approach to housing provision under Rebuilding Ireland – Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The Plan contains a number of integrated actions to underpin land supply management, including the development of a national Land Supply Management Strategy, within the context of the new National Planning Framework.

This will involve identifying and mapping sites in local authority and public ownership with appropriate lands to be master-planned to deliver increased mixed-tenure housing, including social and more affordable housing.

In addition, it is envisaged that local authorities will be supported in acquiring housing lands in key developable areas, and strategic opportunities for urban renewal and regeneration will be identified for co-ordinated action across relevant public sector bodies.The National Planning Framework is due for publication in the second Quarter of 2017.

Furthermore, the Housing Agency, in consultation with my Department and local authorities, has already commenced the mapping of the circa 700 sites in local authority ownership and those held by the Agency under the Land Aggregation Scheme, showing their location, size, boundaries and other information. The map will be made available in due course and will be updated to record the development and use of these lands.

In 2014, my Department, in conjunction with local authority planning departments, carried out a national survey of all lands zoned for residential development in statutory local authority development plans and local area plans across Ireland. This exercise, the Residential Land Availability Survey 2014, (which is available on my Department’s website at the following link:

determined the location and quantity of lands that may be regarded as being undeveloped and available for residential development purposes at 31 March 2014.

The results of the survey indicated that there was 17,434 hectares of residential zoned lands nationally which could theoretically enable the construction of over 414,000 dwellings. The mapped results of the survey are available on my Department’s website at the following link:

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A further Residential Land Availability Survey will be undertaken in 2017.