Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 September 2023
187. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail any investigation into the potential use of the Baltimore Station House by the OPW; and to provide the reasoning behind the Land Development Agency's refusal to use the Baltimore Station House for its own purposes. [41889/23]
View answerI understand that the Office of Public Works (OPW) have confirmed that they have no involvement with Baltimore Station House and have not expressed any interest in acquiring it. Requests in respect of the OPW's involvement in respect of the property should be addressed to the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform who has responsibility for the Office.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) Act 2021 defines relevant public land as land within a Census town owned by a relevant public body and requires those public bodies to offer relevant public land to the Agency prior to any disposal, for the Agency to assess whether that land is suitable for housing or other development within the Agency's remit.
I understand that the LDA received correspondence from Fáilte Ireland in January 2023 indicating the Baltimore Station House property was surplus to their requirements and enquiring as to whether or not the LDA had an interest in acquiring same.
I am informed that the LDA responded to Fáilte Ireland in February 2023 indicating that the property is not of interest to the LDA for the purposes of the LDA Act. Furthermore, I understand that the property is not located in an area defined as relevant public land for the purposes of the LDA Act or intended to be the focus of LDA housing development or land aggregation activity as it is located in a population centre of less than 10,000 persons.
The LDA are actively developing affordable and social homes on State lands in other areas of Cork. For example, construction work is underway at the St Kevin's Hospital site in Cork City, where 265 new homes are to be delivered.
