Dáil debates

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Housing Schemes

9:34 am

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

6. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the Croí Cónaithe vacant property refurbishment grant; if the current grant amounts will be reviewed to entice more persons into the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59669/22]

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

One thing that is clear is that urban dereliction and decay is rampant in our country and this Croí Cónaithe vacant property refurbishment grant is a game changer in terms of incentivising occupation of these dwellings and commercial spaces, because some can be commercial, provided they have been vacant for two years and were built before 1993. Will the Minister of State review grant amounts or change them in any way to encourage more people to get involved in refurbishment in every part of the country, urban and rural, and in our cities and towns?

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas in our cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight, as was said, of vacant properties which, if brought back to use, could add to the vibrancy and provide accommodation in those areas. A suite of measures under pathway 4 to address vacancy and efficient use of existing stock includes a variety of actions to address vacancy. I welcome the opportunity to mention some of these briefly.

The Government launched the town centre first policy, which is a major policy initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe life into our town centres. We also ensuring a vacant homes officer position is in all local authorities as a full-time role. As the Deputy mentioned, the Croí Cónaithe towns fund is supporting the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties through the vacant homes refurbishment grant, which we launched in July. This is supporting the provision of serviced sites for housing to attract people to build their own homes through the ready-to-build scheme, which the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, launched in September.

Additionally, we are introducing a new programme for the use of compulsory purchase orders, CPOs, for vacant properties for resale on the open market. We have reformed the fair deal scheme to remove disincentives to selling or renting unused homes. The Department of Finance is working to introduce a vacant property tax in the near future. We have also extended the planning regulations to exempt certain vacant commercial premises from requiring planning permission to change use to residential purposes. We are supporting local authorities to engage in targeted acquisitions of vacant and underutilised properties and there is a new buy and renew element of the social housing programme to support town and village renewal. Equally, we are supporting local authorities to drive expanded takeup of the enhanced repair and leasing scheme.

As I mentioned, in July the vacant property refurbishment grant, as part the Croí Cónaithe towns fund, was launched. The grant was initially launched in respect of vacant properties in towns and villages, but I am pleased to say that, from 15 November, the expanded grant also includes eligible vacant properties in cities and rural areas. The Deputy mentioned this aspect. A grant of a maximum of up to €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence, including the conversion of a property which had not previously been used for residential purposes. Where refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of up to €30,000, a maximum top-up grant of €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict. This brings the total grant available for a derelict property to a maximum of €50,000. The feedback regarding the grant has been positive, with 419 applications reported to the start of November. There has, therefore, been good uptake. I expect that the numbers will increase further following the expansion of the grant.

Regarding the level of the grant available, this will be kept under review, as will the operation of the scheme in general. It should be noted the grants are also available to homeowners under the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. The overall support package being provided by the State is substantial. Vacant homes officers are in place in each local authority to provide applicants with further details of both schemes. I also note our Department is preparing a vacant homes strategy to capture and report on progress across all the objectives of pathway 4 and under planned actions to continue to bring vacant homes into use and to maximise the use of existing stock. It is intended to publish this strategy early in the new year.

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree these are comprehensive, continually changing and improving ways of getting people into homes they so badly need. The Minister of State mentioned vacant homes officers. I think we initially paid about €30,000 or €40,000 for local authorities to keep these people in employment. In fact, it turned out that most of them were doing nothing in respect of vacant homes. The grant to councils was increased to get more feedback and to get more commitment from them. Is there or will there be a quarterly report or a website report from each county council or housing authority giving information in numerical form regarding their targets, who they have contacted, what action has been taken and what issues have arisen? It is not acceptable that local authorities take funds from the State and from the Minister and the Minister of State's Department and sit on them and use them for other purposes, as was clearly the case.

The Minister of State mentioned CPOs. Louth County Council had a proactive plan for three years where it got more than 100 houses, which were vacant and derelict, back into commission for an average cost, including legal costs, of under €200,000. I appreciate the Minister of State talking about a new national strategy in this regard. I hope he is. I ask him to give me an account of this.

One small issue with the Croí Cónaithe vacant property scheme as I understand it, and I hope I am reading this correctly - the Minister of State can correct me if I am wrong - is that a first-time buyer can buy and move into a property whereas an existing property owner would have to sell or vacate their previous home if they were going to refurbish a derelict property in the centre of a town. If this is the case, then it might be wiser to also allow such people, if they own and are refurbishing properties under this plan, to rent or lease them to the local authorities for five to ten years. There is already the repair and lease scheme. I have looked at this. People can get their money back over so many years. If this initiative is to encourage more vacant property owners to refurbish the flat over the shop, they will not live in it but the grant would help them initially because they do not have the capacity to borrow that money. This is an important debate. It is important to raise these points.

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are several questions to address. Regarding the vacant homes officers, this is a dedicated position in local authorities and is critically important.

It is critically important local authorities use that resource wisely.

It is important, too, that every local authority should have a conservation officer. We are talking here about a lot of 18th century or 19th century properties and there is a need for good guidance and advice to property owners in terms of renovation. It is important there is a network of conservation officers throughout the country who are supporting this regeneration. That is something that should be stressed to all local authorities and something we are doing.

I am familiar with the CPO, particularly in Louth County Council. Deputy O'Dowd is correct that some local authorities are better than others and Louth has been very good. It has made good use of the CPO powers. I encourage all local authorities to do the same. It is a considerable power they have to bring properties back into productive use. We will certainly encourage that.

We will certainly keep under review the entire process we have under pathway 4. The opportunity exists under repair and lease for property owners to do up a second property . That should be considered as well. We have that consistently under review.

In terms of the specific role, there is a vacant homes unit in the Department. The Minister of State, Deputy Burke, will be setting up a town centre first unit as well. A synergy of actions is taking place now that we believe is unprecedented in terms of turning around the fortunes of our urban centres and bringing in many of these thousands of properties we see that could be reused.

The Department also has a national architecture policy. We are also bringing out guidance on thermal comfort, which is the energy retrofitting of traditional buildings in urban centres. This will be useful guidance because the modern methods of thermal retrofitting may not be appropriate for older buildings.

All in all, we have a suite of policies, plans and actions costed and funded to support a significant regeneration throughout the country.

9:44 am

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

For clarity, will there be a report from the vacant homes officers nationally so that we can read and see what they are doing? They have to be seen to be accountable. The outcome of their work must be visible and clear. I repeat that that was clearly not the case in the past.

The Minister of State welcomes CPO and I respect him for saying so. Is there a plan to manage it? Will the Department appoint a person, persons or a unit that will drive that? We cannot take no from local authorities if they do not take the low-hanging fruit. There is a lot of low-hanging fruit - at least a couple of thousand houses - that could be subject to CPO tomorrow if local authorities had the determination and gumption to do it. Some of them do it. Some of them are afraid to go near it and that is not acceptable.

Lastly, the carrots are there. The stick, in the form of the vacant property tax, is only just. It does not go far enough. Certainly, if properties are vacant in rent pressure zones, we should charge them a significant amount of money, which should be 3%, 4% or 5% of the property values in that area, to make them do something with it. It is unacceptable that families are deprived of turning a key in a door when somebody who owns that door is not using it, will not use it, only wants the home to appreciate in value and does not give a damn about the social policies which must come first. It is people before property in this case.

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I agree wholeheartedly with Deputy O'Dowd. The vacant property tax is the responsibility of the Department of Finance and it is kept under review. I take note of the points the Deputy made.

The Housing Agency is overseeing CPOs. It is down to individual local authorities to be proactive. Some, as I said, are better than others. It is critically important there is a uniform approach to it. Local authorities can compare their own actions. There is the network of local authorities, through County and City Management Association, CCMA, and the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG. The Minister of State, Deputy Burke, meets with them regularly. It is important they themselves are able to compare some of the measures they are taking and that they try to replicate best practice.

Similarly, with the vacant homes officers, there should be a network of those officers and they should be meeting regularly to report back to the Department on the actions they are taking. Often, it is complex and difficult to work with property owners. One literally has to go through each property forensically and work with the property owners to try to reactivate those properties. It is a tricky task but it can be done. There have been good experiences in my local authority where they have been proactive, have gone after and have worked with the property owners to unlock the potential in the properties. It is frustrating to see the level of vacant properties around the country given the housing demand.

Photo of Fergus O'DowdFergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Year after year.

Photo of Malcolm NoonanMalcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Absolutely. The measures are in place and we are very supportive.

Photo of Cormac DevlinCormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Question No. 7 taken with Written Answers.