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

I thank Deputy McGrath for raising this important issue and for giving me, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne, the opportunity to update Members on the issue of vacancy and dereliction in Clonmel town.

Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government. To address this, a number of structures have been established, including a dedicated vacant homes unit in my Department, a full-time vacant homes officer in each local authority and the publication of a vacant homes action plan to draw together a number of vacancy-related measures across relevant Departments. One of the focal points of the action plan relates to the interaction with the Government’s town centre first policy approach, which was launched by my Department and the Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022 and which provides a whole-of-government policy framework to address the decline in the health of towns and support measures to revitalise them. To drive the delivery of town centre first, dedicated town regeneration officers have been appointed within local authorities. Their work is supported by the national town centre first office in the Local Government Management Agency.

In 2023, the Tipperary town regeneration officer and Clonmel borough district brought together a number of people who represented various interests in Clonmel to form a town team and produced the Clonmel town centre first action plan. My Department is also supporting Tipperary County Council through the URDF, with €15.4 million provided for a new regional sports hub and the transformation of Kickham Barracks from a former inaccessible military site into a new civic, cultural and educational quarter as part of the Clonmel 2030 initiative. The regenerated barracks will have in excess of 1,000 people on site and introduce a third level education campus into the town centre, which will offer new opportunities to businesses and retail.

Tipperary County Council has also been approved for €6 million in URDF call 3 funding to tackle vacancy and dereliction by acquiring, including through compulsory purchase, vacant and derelict properties for sale or reuse. To date, 77 of the properties submitted by Tipperary County Council across URDF-eligible towns have been approved for acquisition, with 28 located in Clonmel.

My Department introduced planning and development regulations that provide an exemption from the need to obtain planning permission for change of use in respect of certain vacant commercial buildings to residential use, including above-the-shop living. These exemptions can be combined with other vacant property supports such as the vacant property refurbishment grant under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund and the repair and leasing scheme. As of quarter 4 of 2024, a total of 544 applications under the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme had been received in respect of Tipperary County council. Some 412 of these have been approved and a total of 64 grants to the value of €3.35 million have paid out. Further information on the range of supports is available on my Department’s website.

I am conscious the matters relating to antisocial behaviour to which the Deputy referred have been raised previously. I will raise these concerns with my colleague the Minister for Justice.

On the retail sector, which the Deputy made reference to, the Government established the retail forum to allow key issues of relevance to the sector to be discussed with a view to identifying practical actions to support the sector and achieve sustainable jobs growth. My colleague the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment is responsible for co-ordinating these efforts.

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