Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1225. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the ongoing work of the Land Development Agency; the details of the members appointed to the board; the qualifications of each; and the date of appointment of each. [9046/20]
Amharc ar fhreagra1226. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government if there are members of the board of the Land Development Agency with qualifications in architecture, town planning and planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9047/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 1225 and 1226 together.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) was established on an interim basis in September 2018, by way of an Establishment Order (S.I. 352 of 2018, as amended by S.I. 603 of 2018) made under the Local Government Services (Corporate Bodies) Act 1971, pending the enactment of primary legislation when it will be established as a commercial State agency.
A 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 January 2019, I appointed an interim Board of the LDA under the chairmanship of Mr. John Moran, former Secretary General at the Department of Finance. The composition of the interim Board is drawn from the private and public sector and provides a good mix of skills and expertise. In line with Article 6 of the LDA Establishment Order, it includes representatives of my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the local government sector, the Housing Agency and other persons that are considered appropriate.
On enactment of the primary legislation, a permanent board and Chairperson for the LDA will be appointed in accordance with the Guidelines on the Appointment to State Boards.
The membership of the interim Board is as follows:
John Moran - Chair
Michael Stone - Chairman of the North East Inner City Regeneration Implementation Board
Timothy Bouchier Hayes - Solicitor and construction law expert
Michelle Norris - UCD Professor of Social Policy
Conn Murray - Former Limerick City and County Council Chief Executive
John Coleman – Chief Executive, LDA
John O'Connor – Chief Executive, Housing Agency
Clare Costello - Principal Officer, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Caroline Timmons – Principal Officer, Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government
Summary Biographies of the Board members are available on www.lda.ie
On establishment, the 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. It is also working in partnership with other local authorities around the country. It is running a design review of the Sandy Road Regeneration Project in Galway which has the potential for up to 1,000 homes. It is also working with Limerick City and County Council on a site near Colbert Station in Limerick, funding a masterplan of the site which consists of lands owned by the Council, CIE, the Department of Education and the HSE.
As with all State bodies operating under the aegis of my Department, arrangements have been put in place by the LDA through which Oireachtas members can request information directly from the Agency in relation to operational matters - in this regard, the LDA may be contacted directly at oireachtas@lda.ie.
