Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 88, 121, 139, 141 and 146 together.

It is great to see so many Deputies here on this particular issue. Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. Housing for All sets out a suite of measures to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Significant progress is being made and I welcome the opportunity to mention briefly progress on some of those. For example, the Government launched the town centre first policy, a major new policy initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres; €150 million for an urban regeneration development fund is being made available for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties and sites for reuse or sale; full-time vacant homes officers are now in place across 30 of the 31 local authorities and the one outstanding local authority has advertised the post; and the Croí Cónaithe towns fund is successfully supporting the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties through vacant homes refurbishment grants and the provision of serviced sites for people to build their own homes through the ready to build scheme. We have extended planning regulations that exempt certain vacant commercial premises from requiring planning permission for change of use for residential purposes, and we will shortly introduce a new programme for the CPO of vacant properties for resale on the open market. We are looking to do 2,500 of those over the next number of years.

One of the actions taken by the Government has been the introduction of the vacant property refurbishment grant. A grant of up to a maximum of €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which has not previously been used as a residence. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €30,000, a maximum top-up grant amount of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to a maximum of €50,000.

The feedback on the grant has been very positive, with 1,250 applications reported to date. The grant is focused on providing homes for applicants.

While there are no plans to extend the refurbishment grant to allow for rental properties, the repair and leasing scheme is already available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for rental purposes. The scheme is a crucial initiative in tackling vacancy under Housing for All in addition to providing social housing. The scheme provides an upfront loan to a maximum of €60,000, including VAT, per unit to owners of vacant properties which require work to bring the units up to the required standard for rental. In return, the property is made available for social housing for a period of between five and 25 years. The cost of repairs is offset against reduced lease payments to the property owner. Since its introduction, almost 350 properties have been brought back into use.

The vacant homes action plan, which was launched in January, outlines all of the progress that has been made in addressing vacancy along with the actions that are being pursued to return as many vacant properties as possible back to viable use. As part of the plan, my Department will shortly introduce a new programme for the compulsory purchase, CPO, of vacant properties for resale on the open market. The action plan also contains a commitment to examine the potential use of compulsory sales orders. In this context, my Department will also consider the use of compulsory rental orders to give local authorities the power to acquire certain vacant properties for rent.

The most efficient home to deliver is the one which already exists. I firmly believe the commitment this Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes and revitalising local communities. The Department is engaging directly with local authorities on this issue, in terms of vacant homes officers and derelict sites. There is active engagement as we speak.

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