Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 380: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will impose a legal obligation on local authorities to refurbish all publicly owned derelict houses within three months of vacancy to prepare them for new occupants. [25761/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is the responsibility of local authorities to maintain their housing stock in good order, and the general responsibility in relation to this has been enshrined in the new Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008.

Each year local authorities submit an improvement works programme to my Department detailing how the authority's internal capital receipts will be used to maintain and improve its stock. In 2008 alone, authorities spent almost €36 million on pre-letting repairs and works to long-term vacancies. It is expected that this figure will rise to €41 million in 2009.

In addition to the use of internal capital receipts, my Department supports local authorities directly in re-letting properties under its energy efficiency programme. This new programme, aimed at improving the energy efficiency of local authority apartment complexes and vacant local authority dwellings, involves an allocation of some €20 million to local authorities in 2009. This is provided on a co-funded, grant per unit basis, under which my Department provides funding for 75% of the cost of the works, subject to a maximum grant of €15,000, to bring vacant properties up to a Building Energy Rating of C1. In the event that a property does not achieve a C1 rating following remedial works, authorities may instead claim 50% of the cost, again subject to the maximum grant of €15,000, from its general social housing allocation.