Radical housing agency ‘will have real teeth’

The Government is set to approve controversial wide-ranging powers to its new housing regeneration development agency to allow it purchase public and private land to build social houses.

Under the plans, the newly created National Regeneration and Development Agency (NRDA) will have the powers to buy lands, deemed essential to a scheme to rejuvenate an area.

Cabinet ministers are to be briefed on the proposal at their meeting in Derrynane, Co Kerry, tomorrow ahead of a formal decision.