Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 February 2021
266. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of land the Land Development Agency is expected to purchase from local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8052/21]
View answerThe primary role of local authorities as housing authorities in the delivery of housing will not be impacted by the Land Development Agency (LDA) Bill, which was published on 5 February. The main interaction between the LDA and local authorities is based on collaborative arrangements. The Bill specifically provides for the LDA to deliver services to local authorities at the request of the local authority including to deliver social and affordable housing on local authority lands. The majority of such lands will remain in local authority ownership post development in this case.
The Bill also permits the LDA to purchase local authority lands where a local authority has decided to put lands up for sale. As with all proposed sales of lands suitable for housing by public bodies, the LDA Bill requires that the LDA be offered 'first refusal' to purchase such lands. This situation would only arise where the local authority has decided not to develop the lands for their own functions.
