Potential to build at least 60,000 ‘affordable’ homes on State land, report finds

At least 60,000 new homes could be built on land already owned by the State, a new report from the Land Development Agency (LDA) finds.

The LDA has identified land in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Waterford that could provide for thousands of new "affordable homes".

The Dublin sites identified as being suitable for housing include Horseracing Ireland land at Leopardstown, land at the Central Bank mint in Sandyford and CIÉ's bus depot at Conyngham Road near the city centre.

Lands at Galway Harbour, ESB property at Sarsfield Road in Cork and the Ervia gasworks site at Dock Road in Limerick are also on the list of premium sites that could be developed in the next five to 10 years.

Five regional centres are also recommended for development in Sligo, Letterkenny, Dundalk, Drogheda and Athlone.

However, the agency said there are still obstacles to unlocking State land for housing.

The LDA was established in 2018 to amass and develop State property for housing. Under a 2021 law it was also required to identify where lands already in public ownership could be exploited for housing.

The agency’s report, due to be reviewed by the Cabinet on Tuesday, is the first overarching assessment of the public land that could in the future be used for housing.

Meanwhile, Cabinet ministers will on Tuesday agree to oppose a Sinn Féin bill looking to extend the evictions ban, which will be voted on in the Dáil on Wednesday.

The Government will also agree a counter-motion to the Labour confidence vote in the Coalition on Wednesday morning.