Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. I know voids and refurbishment are issues he has raised previously. The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, is a matter for each individual local authority under section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities also have a legal obligation to ensure all their tenanted properties are compliant with the provisions of the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019.

Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-let under the voids programme. Since 2014 to the end of 2024, Exchequer funding of €361.6 million has been recouped to local authorities, which has supported the refurbishment and re-let of 25,672 dwellings. The emphasis of the programme is on those refurbishment works necessary to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 to ensure quick turnaround and re-letting times. All future works should be deferred and carried out under planned maintenance over the life cycle of the asset. Under the voids programme, there is no upper cap that can be spent on an individual dwelling providing the overall average per dwelling of €11,000 is maintained. Funding is also available under the energy efficiency programme of up to €48,850 and can be used in parallel with voids funding where turnaround times are not affected. As part of the programme for Government, consideration is being given to the introduction of a new voids programme with a view to further improve turnaround times of vacant social housing units.

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