Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, for raising this matter and agree with him completely. It is a frustration for all of us to see housing stock that is not in use and that is why, in July this year, I announced €40 million in funding and a targeted approach for all 31 local authorities to bring voids, which are vacant stock, back into use. We set each of the local authorities a target and asked them to make their submissions to the Department.

I am pleased to tell the Deputy that 2,411 properties have already been returned by local authorities and are currently being worked on. I have instructed each of the local authorities that, under this funding, any property that is brought back into stock must be occupied or allocated by the end of this year. Some of these properties are long-term voids that have been out of the market and out of use for over 12 months. There will be a targeted approach to this. I have a housing delivery team that I chair each week and we get a report on voids every week. Our housing delivery office is in contact with all local authorities. I know the Deputy is already doing this in Cavan and Monaghan but I ask all Deputies to be aware that this scheme is in place and to put positive pressure on local authorities to bring vacant units back into the housing stock.

We also need to look at the mechanism by which properties are brought back into the housing stock. The de-tenanting of properties needs to be looked at. We need to examine how long a property remains vacant when someone moves on or the property is handed over. We also need to look at the work that is required to give that property to a new tenant because sometimes it is far too extensive. We must look at other certifications in those situations.

We have made a good start. I am trying to negotiate funding for another voids programme for next year but I encourage our local authorities to deliver on the targets I have set this year because it will mean 2,500 families who would not get a home without this stimulus measure will get one. It is the largest voids programme that has been introduced in a long number of years.

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