Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 June 2004
81 Mr. O’Shea asked the Minister for Defence the Defence Forces property that has been handed over or is planned to be transferred for the purposes of the new affordable housing initiative agreed in Sustaining Progress; the reasons for the delay in handing the land over to the local authorities; when it is expected that the transfers will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17817/04]
View answerThe Government decided on 1 July 2003 that Magee Barracks, Kildare, and Gormanston Camp, County Meath, would be among the State lands released to the relevant local authorities for inclusion in the Sustaining Progress affordable housing initiative.
In addition, the Government agreed on 16 December 2003 to the release of a further series of State lands for inclusion in the affordable housing initiative, including Department of Defence sites at St. Bricin's Hospital, Dublin, and at the Camp Field, Collins Barracks, Cork.
The modalities for the transfer of those sites to the relevant local authorities are under active consideration, and my Department is in ongoing communication with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government in that regard.
I understand that Kildare County Council is currently preparing a local area action plan to deal with the future development of Magee Barracks and that Meath County Council is undertaking a feasibility study to determine the appropriate scale of development at Gormanston Camp.
The affordable housing initiative will be targeted at those who in the past would have been expected to purchase a house from their own resources but who find that they are unable to do so in the current market.
