Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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2009. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of applications received to date in 2017 for the repair and lease scheme in each county since the inception of the scheme; the number of successful applications in each county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37877/17]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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2036. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of properties that have become available under the repair and leasing scheme for each local authority; the number of additional properties that will be made available by each local authority by the end of 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38214/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2009 and 2036 together.

The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was piloted in Carlow and Waterford and has been rolled out nationally since 23 February last. Data gathered during 2017 will inform and guide the development of a national scheme up to 2021. My Department has been working intensively with local authorities and AHBs to develop and implement the scheme and individual targets have been set for local authorities for 2017. There have been a number of national and local press advertising initiatives, as well as targeted online promotion in effort to ensure that properties owners who can benefit from the scheme are aware of the benefits. The scheme is one of a suite of measures available to local authorities to bring vacant properties back into use.

Based on the first full three months of activity of the scheme, at end June 2017, applications in respect of a total of 535 units have been received by local authorities. Of these, 102 units have been deemed suitable for social housing; a further 138 units have been assessed as unsuitable and at that time, 295 units were in the process of being assessed by local authorities. The data requested is set out in the following table.

The process of finalising units is now underway and 8 Agreements to Lease have been signed to date - 3 in Carlow and 5 in Waterford. It is expected that the first units will be ready for tenanting later in September.

Feedback from local authorities indicates that in many cases properties requiring extensive repair work and therefore not suitable for the RLS, have been secured under the Buy and Renew Scheme which facilitates local authorities or approved housing bodies to purchase vacant properties for social housing use.

As part of my ongoing review of Rebuilding Ireland, I am examining all opportunities to accelerate and improve both social housing delivery as well as initiatives to bring more vacant houses back in the use at a faster pace. I am currently finalising the outcomes of that review.