Vol. 576 No. 3
5 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Defence the Defence Forces property that has been handed over or it is planned to transfer for the purposes of the new affordable housing initiative agreed in Sustaining Progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29455/03]
The Government has committed to an ambitious scale of delivery of affordable housing coming through the new affordable housing initiative under Sustaining Progress and through existing affordable housing schemes. The announcement in July this year of the proposed release of Department of Defence lands at Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston, County Meath, as well as a number of sites in the administration of the Office of Public Works, was a critical first step in ensuring early delivery of affordable housing under this initiative which is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.
Officials in the Minister's Department have met officials from my Department and the relevant local authorities about the two sites because it is envisaged that the local authorities will have an important role in ensuring delivery of affordable housing at these sites. Work on implementing this initiative is progressing as a priority and this is firm evidence of the Government's determination to make measurable progress in the implementation of this initiative by the mid-term review of Sustaining Progress in mid-2004.
The Government is working with the parties to the pay agreement to define the precise terms of the initiative, including the eligibility criteria. As the Taoiseach has indicated, the Government is examining the potential to release further State land for this initiative, and a series of meetings has been held with other Departments in this regard.
When is it likely that the promised sites will be handed over? What is the reason for the delay? Is it not the case that it is more than a year since this initiative was announced in Sustaining Progress and no progress has been made? What steps is the Minister taking to expedite the hand-over of the property concerned? There have been considerable delays in the transfer of Defence Forces property, as with Clancy Barracks.
The decision to dispose of Clancy Barracks was made and a contract was finally signed in May 2003 but there are significant title matters to be addressed. I would prefer if such matters did not arise but they must be cleared up. The sale of Clancy Barracks is almost concluded and the matter will soon be out of the way.
There are considerations involved in disposing of the land for affordable housing. The matter is being orchestrated and managed by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in consultation with the local authorities. The question of zoning arises because these lands were excluded from all development plans since no one envisaged that they would become available. I decided to dispose of them and the question of affordable housing then arose. These matters are being dealt with. It is only six months since the decision was made and I need to see benefits for the Department of Defence as a result of that decision.
Will the Minister indicate whether lands have been handed over? Is there a waiting list of properties that will be handed over at a future date? What properties will be involved?
What size are the sites that will be handed over? It will be beneficial to those who will be housed on the sites but how many units will they accommodate? Is there a problem with the leasing of the properties?
In McKee Barracks in County Kildare there are 58 acres of land and there are a further 260 acres in Gormanstown Barracks in County Meath. The housing density will depend on the final arrangements and the provision of services. I have no further plans to hand over additional land.
Is there a leasing problem?
No.
