Vol. 495 No. 4
269 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will ensure that the local authorities in possession of land banks make private sites available for home seekers at an early date in view of the serious housing crisis that exists, particularly for first time home seekers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20185/98]
It is open to local authorities to utilise existing housing land banks, or to acquire land, to make housing sites at low cost available for the purposes of assisting persons in housing need to provide their own housing. Such housing may be provided either individually with the help, if necessary, of the other social housing measures including shared ownership, local authority house purchase loans and the mortgage allowance, or collectively, through the voluntary housing schemes, special group shared ownership projects or housing co-operatives.
It is primarily a matter for the local authority to decide on the most appropriate use of existing land banks to meet housing needs, taking into account all relevant local factors, including demand for local authority, voluntary or other social housing, the necessity to secure an appropriate social mix in a particular area, etc. I and my Department regularly encourage local authorities to be creative in their response to the social housing needs of their areas and, in particular, to avail of the full range of options available to them. I regard the provision of low cost sites by local authorities as an important element in their response to their housing needs.
