Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The vacant homes tax, as the Deputy knows, is targeting habitable properties. The Deputy is raising a number of other issues which are important and relevant when it comes to properties which are vacant but which in many instances are also derelict.

My colleague, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, published the Vacant Homes Action Plan 2023-2026 and last month the progress report from April 2024. To be fair, it sets out the progress which is being made in achieving the objectives. If one takes the vacant property refurbishment grant, over 7,500 applications have been received and almost 60% of them have been approved to date. Some €150 million has been made available to local authorities under call 3 of the new Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, URDF, to tackle vacancy and dereliction by acquiring properties for reuse or sale across towns and cities. Over 900 properties have been approved for funding under this call and 11 new towns have been added to the URDF programme and can avail of funding under call 3.

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