Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a report on the initiatives being taken to bring vacant properties back into use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15708/24]

Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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22. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he can provide a breakdown of the number of Croí Cónaithe grants (including the vacant property refurbishment grant) paid out across Sligo and Leitrim since the beginning of the scheme. [15675/24]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government when statistics for the vacant homes grant for quarter 4 of 2023 and quarter 1 of 2024 will be published; whether he is satisfied with the uptake of the grant to date, including the number of applications, the number of approvals and the number of grants paid; if he has any proposals to improve the terms of the scheme or its administration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15306/24]

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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64. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will report on how the vacant property refurbishment grant is addressing vacancy and making the bringing of existing properties back into use more affordable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15662/24]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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91. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to outline the details on how he and his Department will simplify and enhance the application process and application timelines for the Croí Cónaithe scheme considering the very worrying figures reported in a paper (details supplied) on the number of applicants who have successfully drawn down funding on the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15674/24]

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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It is very evident that Housing for All is not a one-trick pony; it is multidimensional and will result in the building of new houses. Through Croí Cónaithe and the repair-and-lease schemes, we will bring derelict properties back into stock. Could the Minister of State comment on the initiatives under way to bring vacant properties back into stock?

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 22, 32, 64 and 91 together.

Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government. Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make effective use of our existing housing stock. The vacant homes action plan, which the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. The Department will publish a progress report on the plan in April, setting out what it has achieved in 2023 and further steps that will be taken in 2024.

A key initiative is the vacant property refurbishment grant, which the Minister launched in July 2022. A grant of up to a maximum of €50,000 is now available for the refurbishment of a vacant property for occupation as a principal private residence and property that will be made available for rent. Where the refurbishment costs are expected to exceed the standard grant of €50,000, a top-up grant of up to €20,000 is available where the property is confirmed to be derelict, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property up to €70,000. The grant is available in respect of vacant and derelict properties built up to and including in 2007 in towns, villages, cities and rural areas. The grant is making a real impact in addressing vacancy and making the refurbishment of these vacant and derelict properties a more affordable option for those seeking to purchase a new home. The level of interest and feedback on the grant has been extremely positive, with over 7,362 applications reported as received to date, 4,253 applications approved and 250 grants paid out as works are completed.

Currently, from the data available to my Department, refurbishment works are taking some 13 months to complete, at which point the local authority conducts a final visit. Where everything is in order and the necessary documentation is provided by the applicant, the grant will then be paid. It is anticipated that the payment of grants by local authorities will increase significantly during 2024 as more works are completed in line with approval timelines.

My Department publishes data on applications for the vacant property refurbishment grant on its website on a quarterly basis. Statistics to the end of March 2024 are due to be published in the coming week, including data on the number of applications received, approved, rejected and paid for per local authority and the total value of grants paid.

When the Croí Cónaithe towns fund was launched, a commitment was given that a comprehensive review of the schemes under it would be undertaken. That review is now under way and is expected to be completed by the middle of the year.

Another key initiative launched under the vacant homes action plan in April 2023 was a new compulsory purchase order activation programme. This programme supports a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to the activation of vacant properties. It also includes guidance for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers to acquire vacant and derelict properties where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful. Targets were set for each local authority for 2023 and these will be reported on later this year.

A key support for local authorities to tackle vacancy has been provided through the €150 million urban regeneration development fund for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties for reuse or sale, using their compulsory purchase powers were necessary. The fund will be replenished from the proceeds received from the sale or reuse of a site, allowing a local authority to establish a rolling programme to tackle vacancy.

The most efficient home to deliver is one that already exists. I firmly believe that the commitment this Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions we have taken will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes and revitalising local communities.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister of State. If I am not mistaken, that was his first reply to a parliamentary question. I hope there will be some windfall for Longford as a result. I will send through the representations straight away afterwards.

It goes without saying that Croí Cónaithe is one of the genuine successes of the programme for Government. We are seeing its benefits right across the country, notwithstanding the vehement opposition of Opposition parties to it. Looking through the parliamentary questions, one will see that many Opposition Deputies are following up on queries on the scheme. It is working really well. I have first-hand experience of it from Longford, where our vacant homes officer, Marianna Alexandrino, is working incredibly well with the applicants. If an applicant is successful in accessing the full grant of €70,000, and also the SEAI grant of €33,000, it means a €133,000 injection into the creation of what will in many cases be a first family home. Therefore, the scheme is a genuinely meaningful initiative. More important, it puts people back into rural Ireland to live and often results in the refurbishment of derelict properties.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Flaherty. He has been a great champion of tackling vacancy and dereliction in his county, Longford. Under the vacant property refurbishment scheme, we have seen significant progress in County Longford, with over 124 applications received. Forty-eight have now been approved, and five were rejected, unfortunately. Three grants have been issued.

The Government has introduced a really important measure. The delivery of the vacant property refurbishment grant has been significant all across the country. Over 4,279 applications have now been approved, which is significant. It is our responsibility in this House to continue to campaign so owners will utilise the measure. It is important that we bring our existing housing stock back into use, revitalising not only urban and town centres but also rural areas where people want to resettle and own a home.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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The figures for Longford are very impressive. We have had 124 applications under the Croí Cónaithe scheme. In addition to that scheme, I would like to see a greater emphasis on the repair-and-lease scheme in rural areas. There is still significant low-hanging fruit if we can revisit that scheme and tweak it, specifically for provincial towns. We are seeing some improvements in this regard, particularly regarding former public houses that are being reconfigured and repurposed as apartments. However, there would be further capacity for growth and opportunity if we considered a specific repair-and-lease scheme for rural areas.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. I look forward to working with him.

I would suggest, if Deputy Flaherty does not mind, while he is looking for a windfall in Longford, to look at his neighbours first, in Sligo, Roscommon, Leitrim and so on.

I want to raise the issue that the Minister of State has raised before now, which is the need for staged payments for the Croí Cónaithe grants. I know the Minister of State supports this. As he has said himself, it is similar to the standard practice as it is now when people are building homes. I do not expect the Minister of State to deal with that immediately but I would like to know that he supports it.

There are two other issues. I think we may need more staff in local authorities to deal with the applications for Croí Cónaithe, so I am looking for support for local authorities. Is there any possibility, in exceptional circumstances, for an extension to the timeline for completion?

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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I echo the comments congratulating the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, on his new position. I point to the statistics about two towns in County Clare and the vacancy rates that have been experienced there in recent years. The most recent statistics show that Kilrush is at 24.6% and Shannon town is at 29.8%. I flag that with the Minister and Ministers of State today. The Minister of State mentioned the Department is developing a programme for local authorities. In his response, he might come back with further detail about progress on that and when he expects to have that ready to go for counties like Clare specifically.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. The staged payments question is under review and considerations are being taken in that regard. On the scheme itself, significant work has been done at a local authority level with regard to additional resources. We would hope to be in a position to make a further announcement in that regard. We have seen town regeneration officers being integrated into local authorities. We have seen vacant home officers in each of the 31 local authorities, which has been a significant step forward. We are always conscious that local authorities need additional resources. I know the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is working diligently in the Department and with the Department of public expenditure and reform to seek funding in that regard. This scheme is really important. We want to ensure there are no delays with the approval process and the completion of these works. It is important we can continue, through this measure, to increase housing supply and to make it as easy and accessible as possible for everyone.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a ghlacadh freisin comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leat. Go n-éirí leat i do ról nua.