The new Land Development Agency will act as an independent commercial entity, it has been confirmed.

During pre-legislative scrutiny of the legislation underpinning the new LDA, it was found the organisation will not be subject to Freedom of Information requests.

Sinn Féin has expressed concerns at the findings, with representative Eoin Ó Broin voicing worries the LDA is "at risk of becoming another NAMA".

"The LDA and the Department of Housing went through the heads of bill with the committee and it soon became clear that the LDA is at risk of becoming another NAMA that will hamper the delivery of social and affordable homes," Deputy Ó Broin said.

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"The LDA will be an independent commercial entity. It will not be subject to Freedom of Information requests and it will not subject to scrutiny by the Department of Housing on the delivery of housing projects.

"When inevitable conflicts of interest arise between the LDA's commercial remit and Government housing policy, as was the case with NAMA, the commercial interest will triumph with workers and families in need of social and affordable housing left paying the price. 

"In terms of the functions of the agency, astonishingly, the LDA will not have a statutory obligation to deliver social and affordable housing.

"Furthermore, it is the government's intention that 60% of all houses delivered will be sold at open market prices, undermining the state's ability to deliver large volumes of social and affordable homes on public lands.

"Sinn Féin strongly supports the creation of Active Land Management Agency. Such an agency would need strong CPO powers, something which is not contained in the current LDA legislation.

"Sinn Féin is of the view that residential development on public land should be done by local authorities. 

"We cannot support a Bill that places commercial interest over the delivery of genuinely affordable homes for working people."

(CM/MH)