Gino Kenny (Dublin Mid West, People Before Profit Alliance)
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46. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if all public land zoned for housing will remain public land into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45305/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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It is very important that publicly owned land is harnessed in the most effective manner possible to secure the best outcomes for communities and the country as a whole.

With regard to local authority owned lands that are zoned for housing, progression of development proposals for such lands, whether directly or in partnership with other interests, such as Approved Housing Bodies or other housing providers, are matters for the relevant local authority in the first instance in accordance with housing, planning and local government legislation.

More widely, the active management of the publicly owned housing land bank is part of a range of actions being progressed under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, designed to accelerate and increase housing output.

On 27 April 2017, details of some 1,700 hectares of land in local authority and Housing Agency ownership were published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, with the potential to deliver some 42,500 homes nationally. These sites can be viewed at the following link: .

In order to ensure a consistent and comprehensive approach to the development of these lands, all local authorities have been requested to prepare Strategic Development and Management Plans for housing lands in their ownership, with particular emphasis on prioritising those sites that are already serviced and with the most potential to deliver housing at scale, in the short to medium term. 

In the first instance, the final development model for each site, including the tenure mix, will be the subject of careful consideration by the local authority concerned, including its elected members.

My Department is continuing to work with all local authorities and State bodies to ensure that housing is delivered from appropriately located and publicly owned sites to meet our current and future housing requirements.