Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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403. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the rationale for seeking a legal order exempting a portion of State land at the Technological University Dublin college on Aungier Street from social and affordable housing provision requirements when the land transfers; his views on the shortage of social and affordable housing in south Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29226/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is firmly committed to using vacant or underutilised lands in state ownership for the delivery of housing. A range of measures are in place to advance this commitment and the Land Development Agency's (LDA) delivery programme of housing on State lands is well advanced. Good progress is being made on transferring lands to the LDA and constructing homes, such as in Cork where the first phase of a total expected delivery of 265 homes is under construction at the former HSE owned St. Kevins Hospital, and in Naas, Co. Kildare where 219 new homes are being delivered at Devoy Barracks, with a very strong pipeline of homes being delivered both on those State lands and also in partnership with local authorities on lands like Shanganagh, which will see its first delivery this year.

Under Section 53 of the LDA Act 2021, relevant public bodies must notify the LDA of any relevant public lands they intend to sell. The LDA then assesses the land involved to determine if it can be used to provide affordable and social housing and has the option of buying it should it be found to be viable for this purpose.

It is understood that in accordance with Section 53, the LDA was advised by the Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) of the planned sale of property owned by TU Dublin on Dublin’s Aungier Street. However, the LDA was aware that the sale of this property was part of long-standing plans by the GDA to relocate TU Dublin facilities to the university’s new Grangegorman Campus and, as such its planned sale had already been effectively agreed with Government, with a view to reinvesting the proceeds in new facilities. These plans pre-dated the LDA Act.

It is the case that the LDA Act 2021 provides that any planning permission for 5 or more dwellings on relevant public lands must have a specified percentage of the housing used for affordable and social housing. This clause is used in valuing relevant public lands and provides the LDA with the ability to develop these lands for viable housing schemes. The Government, by order of the Minister for Housing, may exempt a parcel of relevant public lands from this clause. This allows the relevant public body to dispose of the site at full market value. Lands referred to in the Grangegorman Development Agency Act were specifically listed as being suitable for such an exemption in the LDA Act 2021, mindful of these long standing plans.

It is understood that, taking account of all these factors, and a site assessment carried out by the LDA which found viability challenges, the LDA notified the GDA that it would not be seeking to acquire the property. The GDA confirmed that it would progress with its proposals to dispose of the property and to seek an exemption from Part 9 of the LDA Act. This exemption has since been granted by agreement of the Government. The Government is fully supportive of the development of the Grangegorman Campus.

With regard to the provision of social and affordable housing in Dublin, local authorities have published 5 year Housing Delivery Action Plans setting out social and affordable housing proposed delivery in their areas to 2026. The plans published by the four Dublin local authorities are available on their official websites.