Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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655. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to confirm that there is a working group in Government looking at the future funding of the LDA; to confirm the persons on this group; the number of times the group has met and the dates of the meetings; the terms of reference of the group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23166/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A Government decision in December 2023 agreed that a working group should be established to examine a sustainable funding model for the LDA, and that it will report to the Housing for All Investment Group. The Housing for All Investment Group is chaired by the Department of Finance and the Department of An Taoiseach is the secretariat to the group.

The Terms of Reference consist of the background, role and functions of the working group, which included a two phase approach to the work. Phase one (Q1-Q2 2024) focused on the compilation of all relevant information to inform the working group’s deliberations. Phase two (Q2-Q3 2024) consisted of the consolidation and analysis of information gathered in phase one, identification of suitable funding options and preparation of a report. The Terms of Reference also cover the reporting requirements, membership (including membership list included below) and meetings and proceedings.

As per the Terms of Reference, the membership list of the group includes:

• Department of Finance, Chair
• Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage
• Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
• National Treasury Management Agency (represented by New ERA)
• Department of An Taoiseach

• 29 February 2024
• 3 March 2024
• 7 May 2024
• 14 June 2024

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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656. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if changes would be required to the Land Development Agency Act 2021 for the agency to deliver private houses on publican land or if this is already provided for in the current legislation. [23167/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Part 9 of the Land Development Agency Act 2021 provides that planning permission will be granted for residential development on land that was relevant public land on 1 January 2023 on condition that a certain percentage of dwellings on the land are designated and leased as cost rental, or, transferred to the ownership of the planning authority, or, to a Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme applicant, on completion. These percentages are currently set at 80% in settlements with populations of over 150,000 and 50% on all other relevant public land. This obligation is in addition to the Part V social housing requirement.

Relevant public land is defined in the Act as land in a settlement of over 10,000 people owned by a local authority or one of the bodies outlined in Schedules 1 or 2 of the Act.

In practice, this means that currently 100% of dwellings built on relevant public land in Dublin and Cork must be social or affordable and 70% of dwellings built on other relevant public land must be social or affordable. The LDA is, therefore, currently not permitted to rent or sell any dwellings at market rates in Dublin or Cork but may do so for up to 30% of dwellings in a development in other settlements.

Section 77 of the Act permits the Minister to vary the percentage by order and different percentages may be set in respect of different geographical or administrative orders. The percentage set must have regard to:

• likely future demand for cost rental dwellings and dwellings for sale in the State;
• the percentage of housing that will most effectively serve the purposes of this Act;
• the need for housing and the availability of housing, in terms of overall scale, type and tenure;
• the need to counteract segregation in housing between persons of different social background;
• housing strategies developed by the local authority concerned;
• the particular demands and requirements of housing;
• the particular need for dwellings for sale or rent under Parts 2 or 3 of the Affordable Housing Act 2021;
• the cost of housing; and
• the cost of site development.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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657. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the partners involved or on the board of the Cork docklands delivery office. [23168/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A flagship element of Project Ireland 2040, the €2 billion Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) is supporting a programme of significant transformational capital projects that will contribute to the regeneration and development of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns, in line with the objectives of the National Planning Framework and the National Development Plan.

The Cork City Docklands project has been provisionally allocated approximately €357m in URDF funding. The project will unlock Cork City Docklands potential to develop as a vibrant, high quality district that will attract investment to the city in terms of mixed use development, leisure and cultural facilities. The development of Cork City Docklands is a key element of Cork City’s ambitious plans to achieve compact urban growth as part of Project Ireland 2040.

The Preliminary Business Case (PBC) for the overall Cork City Docklands proposal was submitted to my Department by Cork City Council (CCC) in December 2024. The proposal is currently being assessed internally and also needs to be assessed via the External Assurance Process (EAP), in line with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines for projects with an estimated total cost in excess of €200 million. After a successful tender process, KPMG has been selected to assist my Department with the EAP and this review is ongoing.

The Cork Docklands Delivery Office was jointly established by CCC and the LDA to advance the redevelopment of Cork Docklands. The office comprises a project team staffed from across various Directorates in CCC in conjunction with staff seconded from the Land Development Agency (LDA).

CCC entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the LDA to establish the Delivery Office. A Steering Group and Management Group have also been set up in that respect. The Steering Group is jointly chaired by the Chief Executive of CCC and the Chief Executive of the LDA.

The Management Group was established to act as a link between the activities of the Cork Docklands Delivery Office and the Steering Group. The Management Group is responsible for providing support to the Delivery Office, overseeing its governance and funding allocation, and recommending its proposals to the relevant authority, whether CCC, the LDA, my Department, or others as appropriate. It comprises senior management representatives, at Director of Services level, from CCC and the LDA, as well as the Cork Docklands Programme Manager.

Further strengthening of governance arrangements for the project, including the establishment of a project delivery board that will include officials from my Department, have been set out in the PBC. These will be reviewed carefully as part of the EAP and internal review processes set out earlier in this reply.