Vol. 515 No. 3
45 Mrs. B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the further discussions, if any, he will have with the Churches regarding the possibility of making land available for housing; the discussions, if any, he will have in this regard with other holders of major land banks; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5978/00]
As I explained in my reply to Question No. 83 on 26 January 2000, my Department met last year with the Conference of Religious in Ireland, the representative body of the Church of Ireland and the Irish Episcopal Conference regarding land or property surplus to these bodies' requirements and which could be converted to residential use or development. All of the religious bodies were supportive of releasing any surplus land or property for social and affordable housing projects at agreed terms and gave an undertaking to carry out a survey within their organisations of the lands which may be available.
A reply was received from the Conference of Religious in Ireland last month which indicates that the amount of land likely to become available in the near future is small, with only five instances of available land or property being identified. The Irish Episcopal Conference has written to say it is happy to assist the Department in undertaking a survey and the results of the survey are awaited. The results of the survey being carried out by the representative body of the Church of Ireland are also awaited. Further discussions will be held once the replies from the three religious bodies are received and examined by my Department.
The Government recommitted itself in An Action Programme for the Millennium which was reviewed last November to identify surplus State lands in the larger urban areas with a view to releasing these for housing development. On foot of this, the compilation of a register of all State lands in the ownership of Government Departments and agencies, which would identify lands that are likely to be disposed of in the next few years, is under consideration by my Department and the Department of Finance.
