Written answers
Tuesday, 8 July 2025
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Land Issues
Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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513. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the measures he plans to take in relation to the transfer of lands from commercial State bodies to expedite the development of suitable sites in Carlow and Kilkenny; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37270/25]
James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Land Development Agency (LDA) is working with key landholders across the public and commercial State sectors to transfer lands that are surplus to their operational requirements and suitable for residential development to the LDA in a managed process.
The Land Development Agency Act 2021 requires the LDA to establish and maintain a Register of Relevant Lands and to furnish Government with a Report on Relevant Public Lands at two yearly intervals. The Register and Report facilitate and support the identification and assessment of the potential of relevant public lands for the provision of affordable and social housing both now, and in the future.
State owned lands at ESB Networks in Carlow and at St. Canice's Hospital and Abbey Quarter in Kilkenny are included in the 2nd Report, published earlier this year, which is available on the LDA's website at the following link: lda.ie/public-lands/report-on-relevant-lands
My Department will make an assessment of relevant public lands identified in the latest Report. Some of the sites identified may be suitable to progress to design and planning and early transfer for housing delivery, subject to achieving statutory consents and agreement. Other sites may be more complex and in operational use. If suitable and prioritised, these sites may require further inputs, such as master planning, enabling works, and relocation of existing operations, before applications for statutory consents or development.
The Government is also currently considering options to accelerate this process, including an amendment to the LDA Act to provide for a statutory process whereby disposals of land may be directed by the Minister in certain circumstances and in a manner that will not impact on the financial stability or operational capacity of State bodies.
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