LDA will 'replace county councils' in housing development, TDs warned

Richard Boyd Barrett makes claim in Oireachtas housing committee debate on amendments to Land Development Agency Bill as Eoin Ó Broin clashes with Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien told the meeting that "the time for talking is over" on the delivery of housing, a comment Richard Boyd Barrett called "a masterclass in sophistry". Picture: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The Land Development Agency will "replace county councils" in the development of housing, an Oireachtas committee has been warned.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett made the warning during an Oireachtas housing committee debate on amendments to the Land Development Agency (LDA) Bill.

Mr Boyd Barrett said the LDA would become the primary driver of home building in local authority areas.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien told the meeting that "the time for talking is over" on the delivery of housing, a comment Mr Boyd Barrett called "a masterclass in sophistry".

Sinn Féin's Eoin Ó Broin said his amendments were "about pushing the bill to be what it should be", making the LDA a land management agency rather than a "private company pushing up development costs".

TD @PaulMcauliffe reporting at Oireachtas #Housing Agency that Land Development Agency couldn’t deliver #affordable housing if it passed on cost of public land
... but that’s what’s in the LDA Bill? Market price of land pic.twitter.com/XaFu6vRcjr

— Orla Hegarty (@Orla_Hegarty) May 25, 2021

Mr O'Brien said this "goes to the heart of the differences" between Sinn Féin and the Government. He said Mr Ó Broin's plan would put back the development of homes. 

He said it was "telling that Mr Ó Broin mentions housing developments which he or his party has opposed".

The Minister said the bill would ensure the "regeneration of public lands". Making amendments to change the ethos of the LDA would "put us back at square one", he added. 

Mr O'Brien said any profits made by the LDA, which will be allowed to take on commercial activities, would be reinvested into the Exchequer and the supply of housing. 

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He said the LDA will be a commercial semi-state body but would be expected to make a return to the housing minister and will be subject to public spending and procurement rules.

Mr Ó Broin said the LDA would be able to cut bureaucracy or red tape around some projects, but queried that if this were possible for the LDA, why the approval process for local authorities was not reformed instead.

Fine Gael's Emer Higgins said the meeting had been an example of "politics coming before problem-solving" and accused the opposition of "political posturing". 

Mr Ó Broin said he took his role in scrutinising legislation "very, very seriously". He said the LDA would have capitalisation of €1.25bn and "to suggest we do not take a few hours to scrutinise this is remarkable".