Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1631. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if homes which have no previous tenant occupancy can apply for the repair and lease housing scheme administered by local authorities; if a person (details supplied) can have the council decision appealed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35247/17]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1632. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to expand the scheme to include unfinished dwellings in view of the demand for social and affordable housing and the existence of a large number of unfinished dwellings in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35248/17]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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1633. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applications for the repair and release scheme refused on the basis of no previous tenant occupancy for example in the case of a person (details supplied) or on the basis of unfinished dwelling since its introduction, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35249/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1631 to 1633, inclusive, together.

The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) has been developed to assist private property owners and local authorities or Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to harness the accommodation potential that exists in certain vacant properties across Ireland. The scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental property.

Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing, and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of the necessary repairs up to a maximum of €40,000 will be met upfront by the local authority or an approved housing body (AHB). The relevant local authority determines eligibility for the scheme having regard to the location and suitability of the property for social housing and also taking into consideration the extent of the repairs that may be required. It is a condition for acceptance into the scheme that properties have been vacant for at least 12 months.

Following on from the success of the initial Repair and Leasing pilot in Waterford and Carlow local authorities, the pilot scheme was expanded on a national basis from 23 February 2017. The operation of the pilot scheme nationally is providing valuable data to facilitate a full on-going appraisal of the scheme, assess the demand and potential nationwide and also to continue to resolve any operational issues that may arise during implementation. Any expansion or proposed changes to the conditions of the scheme are being kept under review and considered in that context.

My Department is currently gathering data from local authorities in order to report progress in what was the first full quarter of operation of the national scheme and this will be published on my Department's website in due course.