Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 May 2019
652. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the protocols put in place between local authorities and the Land Development Agency in respect of the co-ordination of land purchases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21528/19]
View answerThe Land Development Agency (LDA) is focused on managing State-owned land to develop new homes, and regenerate under-utilised sites. In the longer-term the LDA will assemble strategic land banks from a mix of public and private lands, making these available for housing in a controlled manner, bringing essential long-term stability to the Irish housing market with the objective of facilitating the delivery of 150,000 new homes over the next 20 years.
The LDA’s mandate in the initial period is focussed on accessing existing State land rather than land acquisitions. Accordingly, the need for a formal protocol for engagement with local authorities in relation to land acquisition does not arise at this point.
There is, of course, ongoing engagement between the LDA and local authorities on a range of issues of mutual interest. As the LDA develops further in the coming months, the need for a formal land acquisition coordination procedure to be put in place between the LDA and local authorities, to support the existing informal discussions already taking place, will be kept under review.
