Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 October 2018
646. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to use lands from old institutions for housing, both social and private, in view of the fact the moneys made from the sale of these lands were promised to be used to develop mental health services and that this is a commitment under A Vision For Change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41753/18]
View answerThe Land Development Agency (LDA) will act as a key new Government instrument and in line with its mandate will work:
- To ensure the optimal usage of State lands, coordinating their regeneration and development and opening up key sites not being optimally used, especially for delivery of new homes; and
- To drive strategic land assembly through mechanisms that will bring together both public and private sector interests in ensuring the timely preparation and release of strategic land for development in a counter-cyclical manner. Such counter-cyclical action will be aimed at stabilising any tendency towards volatility in development land values, securing more of the increase in such values as a result of the planning and infrastructure investment processes for the common good and thereby driving increased affordability through better and more cost-competitive land availability.
The work of the LDA is to secure the strategic redevelopment of relevant state lands respecting any pre-existing commitments in relation to the destination or use of the proceeds from the sale/development of such lands. The use of proceeds from the disposal of specific sites to the LDA from another State body, which is under the aegis of a different Minister, is a question for the relevant Minister with responsibility for the body in question to address. In relation to the HSE publication "A Vision for Change", it is matter for the Minister for Health.
