Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 22 January 2026
154. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the Land Development Agency’s plans in Dundalk; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4927/26]
View answerThe Land Development Agency manages State lands to develop new homes and regenerate underused sites. The Agency is also tasked with unlocking stalled private planning-consented developments via its market engagement and partnership initiative, Project Tosaigh, and working in partnership with local authorities to deliver housing on local authority owned land.
The Land Development Agency published its second Report on Relevant Public Lands in April 2025, which identifies a total of 102 parcels of State land as having potential to deliver housing-led development. Of the 102 sites identified, four are located within Louth, with three in Dundalk.
My Department is currently engaging with all landholding bodies to consider the sites identified and further assess the suitability of those sites for the development of housing with a view to making recommendations to me and then to Government to consider the deployment of further sites for housing and their transfer to the Land Development Agency.
Some of the sites identified by the Land Development Agency in the Report may be suitable to progress to design and planning following transfer, subject to achieving statutory consents and agreement, while others may be complex and/or in operational use. Many require further inputs, such as master planning, enabling works and relocation of existing operations before the LDA or a local authority could make applications for statutory consents or develop them for housing.
All planning authorities, including Louth County Council, are currently assessing their current development plans and undertaking a review of the adequacy of existing zoned lands to cater for the new Housing Growth Requirement figures and the potential for ‘additional provision.
With regard to social and affordable housing delivery in Louth, the Government's commitment to fund and support new homes delivery continues strongly. To end September last, over 870 Affordable Housing supports were delivered in Louth, via Louth County Council's Affordable Purchase Scheme, cost rental delivered by Approved Housing Bodies - through the First Home Scheme - and via the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.
Furthermore, Louth County Council delivered over 1,100 new build social homes between 2022 and Q3 2025, exceeding their target by 54 homes, and has a strong pipeline of homes scheduled for delivery in 2026.
