Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1184. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the land that has been transferred to the Land Development Agency to date; and if no such land can or will be transferred to it prior to the agency being put on a statutory footing. [8678/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn establishment, the Land Development Agency (LDA) had access to an initial tranche of 8 sites that have near term delivery potential for 3,000 new homes. The sites concerned are as follows:
1. Central Mental Hospital Site, Dundrum
2. Hampton, Balbriggan
3. Hacketstown, Skerries
4. Devoy Barracks, Naas
5. Former Meath Hospital, Dublin City Centre
6. St. Kevin's Hospital, Cork
7. Columb Barracks, Mullingar
8. Dyke Road, Galway
In addition, in partnership with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, the LDA have submitted a planning application for the development of 597 homes on a site in Shanganagh.
Under Article 13(a) of the LDA's Establishment Order (S.I. 352 of 2018 as amended by S.I. 603 of 2018), the LDA may acquire ownership of lands and buildings. However, ownership of sites will generally not transfer to the LDA until the Land Development Agency primary legislation, which provides for capitalisation of the LDA from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), is enacted. The transfer of local authority lands is a matter for local authorities under Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001, as amended.
The General Scheme of the Land Development Agency Bill to establish the LDA as a commercial state body on a primary legislative basis was approved by Government for publication, consideration for pre-legislative scrutiny and priority drafting in July 2019. The pre-legislative scrutiny process is now complete and the Committee's report has been received by my Department and is being considered in the context of the further development of the proposed legislative provisions. In this context, it is envisaged that provision will be made for a range of options in relation to site development, including options where ownership may remain with the relevant public body, with the LDA working in co-operation with those bodies in the development of their lands for housing.
The absence of the primary legislation is not preventing the LDA from progressing sites. In addition, because the sites are public lands, rather than lands in private ownership, the issue of ownership and transfer is not an obstacle to early progress. In relation to the sites referenced above, the LDA has entered into pre-sale agreements with the land owners, as appropriate, to ensure that it has full access to the sites to carry out necessary pre-construction activities. Significant preparatory work is already underway in relation to the initial sites, with feasibility, planning and other preparatory works already initiated.
