Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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91. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of vacant homes State-backed banks have in their possession as of 16 January 2017; the number they have given or sold to the Housing Agency or any other State body in each of the past five months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2448/17]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I am firmly of the view that the Irish banking system has an important role to play in the normalisation of the Irish housing sector through the speedy return of properties in their possession to the general market. I am also conscious that where a bank comes into possession of a property the institution has a fiduciary responsibility to dispose of the property in a manner that satisfies its independent, commercial mandate. However I welcome the fact that this is now also happening through interaction with the Housing Agency, local authorities or other means.

As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government this summer launched Rebuilding Ireland, the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. The Action plan represents a whole of government response to the issues in the housing market with actionable measures across a wide range areas, designed to stimulate housing supply and remove many of the barriers to a normally functioning market.

The Department does not have the information requested by the Deputy however I have received the following responses from the three banks in which the State has a shareholding: 

AIB

All disclosures in relation to AIB's residential mortgages properties in possession can be found on page 53 of AIB's Half-Yearly Financial Report 2016. It is the bank s policy to sell all assets on a vacant possession basis. AIB has engaged directly with the Housing Agency to provide a list of more than 500 properties for consideration. As at end of December the Housing Agency has expressed an interest in over 200 of these properties with 140 of these sale agreed. AIB continues to work directly with the Housing Agency to ensure all suitable properties are made available for consideration.

PTSB

Permanent TSB have informed me that all disclosures in relation to PTSB's residential mortgages and related properties in possession can be found on page 88 of PTSB's Half-Yearly Financial Report 2016. It is PTSB's policy to sell all assets on a vacant possession basis. The bank has also informed me that the actual number of vacant properties in Permanent TSB possession 31 December 2016 was 437 and within the last five months, the bank has completed one repossession sale to a local authority and one mortgage to rent sale to a housing body. Separately PTSB has been engaging directly with the Housing Agency since 2015.

Bank of Ireland

According to Bank of Ireland, all regulatory required disclosures for Bank of Ireland, including those related to property, can be found in their annual report.