Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Renua Ireland)
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558. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the action he is taking regarding vacant buildings (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42313/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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My Department has been actively supporting all local authorities, including Dublin City Council, to remediate vacant social housing units and return them to use for those on the housing waiting lists. Between 2014 and 2015, my Department has committed funding support to Dublin City Council to return 945 vacant social housing units to productive use. This is on top of the work already being undertaken by Dublin City Council and other local authorities under their own resources to re-tenant vacant social units.

€5 million of funding is also being provided to Dublin City Council covering the period 2014 to 2015, to convert decommissioned bedsit type properties into one bed units. My Department is also providing substantial funding support to the Council to advance new social housing construction projects and acquisitions.

Alongside these supports for new and remediated social housing units, I also put a Ministerial Direction in place earlier this year which requires key local authorities to prioritise homeless and other vulnerable households in the allocation of tenancies under their control. This applies until 31 January 2016 and the four Dublin local authorities have been directed to allocate 50% of all available dwellings to such households.