Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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57. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a refurbishment grant scheme for properties that require refurbishment in order to make them habitable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28639/16]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessnessrecognises the important source of potential accommodation that vacant private properties present. A new Vacant Housing Repair and Leasing initiative is being developed by my Department to assist private property owners, local authorities or approved housing bodies to harness this potential and bring these vacant houses into social housing use.

While the details of the new scheme are currently being finalised by my Department, it will broadly operate by providing a financial mechanism whereby the cost of the repairs required to bring a property up to the required standard for rental accommodation can be met initially by the local authority or approved housing body, and then offset against the rental income over an agreed period of time. A property owner will be obliged to make the property available to the local authority for a defined period in exchange for a guaranteed income. The benefits of the scheme to a property owner will be upfront financing for the cost of repairs; guaranteed rent; avoidance of loss of rent during vacant periods; no day to day responsibilities for managing the tenancy or collecting rent; no advertising costs or vacant periods.

Eligibility for the scheme will be determined by the relevant local authority having regard to the location and suitability of the property for social housing and also the extent of repairs that might be required. Proof that the property has been vacant for a defined period will be required.

The new scheme will be piloted in Waterford and Carlow, and depending on the take-up from private property owners, will be rolled out to further local authorities early in 2017.

Further details of the scheme will be available shortly.