The government has been urged to provide funding for a potential social housing site within the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone in Dublin.

A 15.4-hectare site is currently for sale for €11.5m within the zone, according to a report in the Irish Times. This has the capacity for up to 850 new homes.

Amid concerns the private market will acquire the land, Sinn Féin Housing spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin TD has called on the government to provide funding for South Dublin County Council to purchase the site.

The Dublin Mid-West TD said: "The government should immediately provide South Dublin County Council with the funding required to purchase the site and build social and affordable housing. The private market will not provide the social and affordable homes that people require. 

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"Unfortunately, the Clonburris SDZ is currently being held up due to appeals from Fine Gael Councillors, NAMA and others, to An Bord Pleanala. However, it is important that once this SDZ gets the green light that the maximum amount of social and affordable housing will be delivered.

"Acquiring this site would mean that South Dublin County Council would have a combined holding in the SDZ of 37% which along with the 10% social requirement under part V would increase the total output of social and affordable homes to 45%.

"€11.5m is not a huge investment when you consider the price of land in other parts of Dublin. Sinn Féin Councillors on South Dublin County Council will be lobbying the Council management to purchase the land while as TD for the constituency I have written to Minister Murphy urging him to provide the funding necessary."

(CM/MH)