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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 66, 84, 86, 96, 109 and 122 together, and obviously Carlow is top of the list.

The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's voids programme to supplement the local authority funding available for the preparation of vacant properties for re-letting. The funding was introduced to tackle long-term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock.

The number of homes returned to active use utilising funding from my Department's voids programme between 2020 and 2023 by the local authorities referenced in the Deputies' questions is as follows. In Carlow,144 units were returned and the funding allocation was €2.4 million. The equivalent figures for Clare, Cork city, Dublin City Council, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Limerick, Longford, South Dublin County Council and Tipperary were 264 units and €5.371 million; 644 units and €10.09 million; 1,837 units and €31.2 million; 250 units and €3.829 million; 353 units and €6.858 million; 195 units and €5.087 million; 663 units and €8.712 million; and 472 units and €8.19 million, respectively.

Budget 2024 has provided €31 million to the overall programme this year and funding allocations under planned maintenance-voids will be announced in due course. Notwithstanding the voids funding being provided by our Department, local authorities have a responsibility to provide adequate housing maintenance budgets for 2024 and this parallel work by local authorities is essential for the development of the planned maintenance approach, which is a key objective of Housing for All.

To that end, our Department and local authorities are continuing to transition from a largely responsive and voids-based approach to housing stock management and maintenance, to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All policy objective 20.6. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response. The objective is to basically have the maximum number of housing units in use at all times, in respect of local authorities.

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