Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and the vacant homes action plan contains a suite of measures which actively address vacancy. We see huge potential in existing housing and building stock in our villages, towns and cities to meet the objectives of Housing for All.

To give some examples, full-time vacant housing officers are now in place across all local authorities. A compulsory purchase order, CPO, activation programme was launched in April which supports a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes. Some €150 million is being made available under the urban regeneration and development fund for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties for reuse or sale. In addition, the Croí Cónaithe towns fund is successfully supporting the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties and sites through the vacant property refurbishment grant and ready-to-build scheme. Feedback on the grant has been very positive, with 5,015 applications reported to date and 2,369 applications having received approval.

In relation to voids, the Department is supporting the return to use of over 2,400 properties through funding of €31 million in 2023. Local authorities are working to transition from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance to a planned maintenance approach. I note that €5 million has been ring-fenced to support the transition to a planned maintenance approach in 2023.

On the vacant homes tax which was introduced by the Minister for Finance, I note that in budget 2024, the rate of the tax was increased to five times the property’s existing base local property tax charge. Revenue has undertaken work to identify approximately 25,000 property owners who are liable for the tax. These new initiatives are addressing residential vacancy comprehensively. The commitment the Government has made to addressing vacancy will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes and revitalising communities.

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