Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent)

This is a very welcome and important Bill. I regret that the Government seems to be looking for a timed amendment in respect of it. Frankly, this is an issue on which we have waited too long. It has dragged on for far too long. In 2017, members of the Civil Engagement Group including myself, Senator Lynn Ruane and the then Senator Grace O'Sullivan from the Green Party, and others, brought forward a derelict and vacant sites Bill. It was opposed by the Government at that time. Some of the provisions that were in that Bill I see reflected again here. They were good ideas then and they are better ideas now. There are of course many other positive components to this legislation as well. Our Bill at that time also looked to make the derelict sites register publicly available and online, to give local authorities powers regarding the acquisition of derelict sites either compulsorily or by agreement, to strengthen the application of the vacant site levy and to restrict the termination of tenancies in the context of buy-to-let planning, which was a related provision. At that time, we were told the vacant site levy could not be increased as it was already at the limit, yet, years later, it was increased finally. We were also told that this was something that needed to be thought out, as there were many unintended consequences and so forth about looking at derelict sites. That was in 2017. It is now almost a decade later and some of the buildings that were vacant or technically derelict then have been derelict for that entire decade and are now close to the point of ruin. These are buildings which at the time and over the past decade, had action been taken, could have been restored into vibrant properties and homes, spaces which could be contributing as has been said to the life of our cities and towns and the lives of those who live in them and indeed to the vibrancy of our streets.

Too much time has been lost. I regret that the Government seems willing to lose yet another year before proceeding on this. Those years of properties being allowed to descend into greater dereliction or into ruin are an indictment at a time when we have a housing crisis of such a level increasing year-on-year over the past decade. There is a lack of joined-up thinking in many areas of Government policy on this. I commend Senator Noonan and others who tried to address this in a number of different ways. The Bill being put forward today tries to join the dots in a number of constructive ways.

I am conscious of missed opportunities. When the Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021 came through, it was decided in that legislation that the information on vacancy provided there would not also have a function in relation to issues such as the vacant property tax, or link up with that issue of vacancy.There have been issues with many of these tools, including with the residential zoned land tax, which relates to the vacant site levy. With regard to the vacant site levy, the fact the money went back to the central Exchequer was a real disincentive to local authorities. This could have been a tool to fund local authorities. If the vacant site levy had been going into a fund which was to be used for compulsory purchase, we would be looking at a tool that might have incentivised a dynamic of movement with regard to these measures. Again, as I say, there are many other areas where we need to see decision-making move forward, but as I am conscious of time, I will not go into them. We need to see a strengthening of information, powers and action in these areas.

I will highlight a few of the key elements of the Bill which I welcome. As I have said, the amendment of section 8 of the Derelict Sites Act to ensure there is publicly available information online is crucial, as are the removal of the obligation on the local authority in terms of owners' representations on adding properties to the register, and addressing the issue whereby somebody who is such an absent landlord they cannot be contacted means the property is not being registered. This is addressed in the Bill and it is extremely welcome. There are many other measures, including the two-year timeline of being on the derelict register leading to a new set of actions involving the Minister. All of this is very welcome and very constructive.

I want to signal I have concerns relating to a couple of aspects of the Bill which, as it proceeds through Committee Stage, I am happy to engage on. We deal with things by engaging with them on Committee Stage rather than by delaying them. These are with regard to some of the measures on partial change of use in buildings where the height is not more than 10 m above the ground. I am concerned about some of the streamlining of some of the planning measures. It is very important we maintain key standards, particularly in areas such as fire safety and disability access. A one-stop shop component is envisaged but it is very important these crucial standards are not diluted in any way.

Perhaps we could have provisions whereby we do not see speculative investment. We do not have use for speculative investment which could lead, for example, to investment properties being created, potentially jeopardising the rental of shops at street level. Again, it is very important that this should be designed in a way that ensures these properties are there not for short-term lets or investment but for living in. Well done to the proposers of the Bill.