Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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191. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of vacant residential properties owned by private citizens, banks, non-bank lenders, local authorities, in receivership and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14151/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not hold the information requested by the Deputy.

The Housing Agency presented a paper for the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness in relation to vacant homes in Ireland. I understand the figures produced by the Housing Agency drew on Census 2011. The report is available at:

This year’s Census will provide more information on the number of vacant units in Ireland. Moreover, the potential to bring vacant units in private ownership back into productive use will be examined in the context of drafting the Government’s Action Plan for Housing.

In relation to vacant local authority units, high priority has been placed on supporting local authorities to return vacant social housing units to productive use for those on the housing waiting list. Between 2014 and 2015, some 5,000 such units were remediated with Exchequer support and were made available to those on housing waiting lists. Work was also carried out by local authorities themselves on vacant houses through normal pre-letting works.

Over the last two years, my Department has provided some €60 million for this purpose. This investment is a very significant support to deal with the backlog of vacant social housing units and a key element in addressing urgent social housing need.