Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 December 2017
46. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if he has included lands currently administered by the Department of Defence in his review of publicly owned land that could be utilised for housing; and if he has had discussions with the Minister for Defence in relation to the long term optimal use of these sites. [52262/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe active management of the publicly owned housing land bank is part of a range of actions being progressed under the Rebuilding Ireland Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, designed to accelerate and increase housing output. This is complementary to actions already undertaken to streamline the planning process, reform development contributions, and invest some €226 million in enabling infrastructure, through the Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF), to facilitate and accelerate housing delivery.
On 27 April 2017, details of some 1,700 hectares of land in local authority and Housing Agency ownership were published on the Rebuilding Ireland Housing Land Map, with the potential to deliver some 42,500 homes nationally. The map also includes details of some 300 hectares of land in ownership of other State or semi-State bodies, with the potential to deliver a further 7,500 homes. This mapped list includes a Department of Defence site in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath. All of the mapped sites can be viewed at the following link:
http://rebuildingireland.ie/news/rebuilding-ireland-land-map/.
In the context of his new role in driving and co-ordinating housing delivery, my colleague Minister of State Damien English will chair the State Land Management Group which will reconvene early in the New Year to, inter alia, oversee delivery of housing from the State land bank. In this regard, my Department will continue to engage with other Government Departments and State and semi-State bodies to pursue the long-term optimal use of appropriate sites for residential purposes.
