Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 15:

In page 35, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:

“Reallocation of repossessed dwellings

21.The local authority on successful repossession of a dwelling will as far as is practicable ensure that:(a) any refurbishment works required will be tendered for within 1 month of repossession date,

(b) in the case where only minor refurbishment work is required the dwelling must be reallocated within 3 months of repossession date,

(c) where substantial refurbishment is required the dwelling will be reallocated for habitation not more than 1 month from the completion of refurbishment works.”.

Since 2008 onwards, a huge number of voids have been building up and, until recently, there were roughly 1,800 voids. I know the Minister of State is making moves to deal with that but, from here on, we need to be sure that when we repossess units, they will be tendered for within one month of repossession. The amendment also proposes that in cases where there is only minor refurbishment work, the dwelling must be reallocated within three months of the repossession date. Where substantial refurbishment is required, the dwelling must be reallocated for habitation not more than one month from the completion of refurbishment works.

We need to have targets. The natural progression that happened over the years, when people either died, left tenancies or the tenancies were repossessed, went by the wayside due to lack of funding. This is why we have been left with a build-up of voids. In some local authority areas, voids have been sitting there for three to six months and longer, which is not acceptable given the current crisis. I am trying to put down a marker which the Minister of State and the local authorities can aim at and use as a guide.

See this speech in context