Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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377. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proposed plans, if any, for the vacant former Cork Prison site located on Rathmore Road, The Glen, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4619/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The 1st Report on Relevant Public Lands, published by the Land Development Agency (LDA) in 2023, identified state owned land with potential for housing development in the five cities and five key growth towns. That potential identified is assessed by Government in light of existing and proposed uses and ongoing developments on those sites. Suitable sites for housing development that are recommended for transfer to the LDA are being considered by Government in sets, based on priority housing need, and level of site constraint or readiness.

As part of the site appraisal process following the publication of the 1st report, my Department and the Department of Justice held discussions regarding the site of the former Cork Prison, its current and future uses, and its potential suitability for early delivery of affordable and social housing. It was not recommended to Government for transfer to the LDA for housing delivery at that time.

Currently, the LDA are in the process of drafting the 2nd Report on Relevant Public Land, which is a statutory requirement in accordance with the Land Development Agency Act of 2021. It will provide an update on sites identified in the 1st report, and may also identify additional parcels of land potentially suitable for housing.

Following publication of the report, my Department will again engage with stakeholders and land owners identified in the 2nd Report with a view to identifying any additional sites that I could recommend to Government for transfer to the LDA to advance housing delivery.

The LDA is actively developing and delivering schemes of affordable and social homes on State owned lands in Cork such as the former St Kevin's Hospital site in Cork City where construction work is well underway to deliver a total of 266 new homes, with 97 of them due to be completed later this year. More details on this development are available via the following link:

Furthermore, the Government has also approved the transfer, in due course following the relocation of services there, of the state owned veterinary laboratory site on the Model Farm Road in Cork to the LDA for the development of social and affordable homes. This site was identified in the 1st Report on Relevant Public Lands and is capable of delivering between 140 - 200 new homes.