Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Finance if an audit of the number of residential properties now in the ownership of a bank (details supplied) will be carried out by his Department; the plans the bank has to place those properties on the market to help ease the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8065/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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AIB had 690 Residential Properties held as Mortgagee In Possession at year end 2017. AIB has worked in collaboration with the Housing Agency throughout 2017 to make all suitable residential assets available for purchase directly by the Housing Agency. At year end a total of 771 properties were offered with 260 of these sold. AIB will continue with this project in 2018.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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132. To ask the Minister for Finance if an audit of the number of residential properties owned by a bank (details supplied) will be carried out by his Department; the plans the bank has to place those properties on the market to help ease the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8066/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In relation to Bank of Ireland, as at the end of 2017, the Group had 87 residential properties in possession, which included 20 sale agreed. The majority of the remainder were either on the market for sale or being prepared to go on the market.

I understand that the Housing Agency which is under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Planning & Local Government is currently assessing the suitability of a number of empty properties which are being offered to the State for purchase as social houses by banks and private equity funds.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of residential properties owned by a bank (details supplied); if an audit of the number of residential properties owned by the bank will be carried out by his Department; the plans the bank has to place those properties on the market to help ease the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8067/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am informed by the Central Bank of Ireland that from its perspective, specifically in relation to the number of residential properties owned by the subject bank (Ulster Bank), under Section 33AK of the Central Bank Act 1942 the Central Bank is not in a position to provide any specific information in this regard. However, on the 14th December 2017 the Central Bank issued the latest statistical release of the Residential Mortgage Arrears and Repossessions Statistics: September 2017. The release reports the total number of PDH and BTL residential properties in possession for banking entities at the beginning of Q3 2017 is 2,374. For more information the referenced statistical release can be found here.’

I understand that the Housing Agency which is under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Planning & Local Government is currently assessing the suitability of a number of empty properties which are being offered to the State for purchase as social houses by banks and private equity funds.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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134. To ask the Minister for Finance the number of residential properties owned by a bank (details supplied); if an audit will be carried out by his Department regarding same; the plans the bank has to place those properties on the market to help ease the housing shortage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8068/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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PTSB has around 1,800 properties in possession of which around 800 are tenanted, buy to let properties returned through the voluntary surrender scheme with rental tenants in situ. It is the Bank’s intention, where possible, to sell tenanted properties with tenants in situ. The bank has met with representatives from the Housing Agency and are in the process of identifying suitable properties based on criteria provided by the Housing Agency. The bank will continue to sell properties through private treaty, to sell through auctions and to liaise with the Housing Agency with regard to property sales directly to them.

Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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135. To ask the Minister for Finance if an audit on all residential property mortgages sold by the mainstream banks to vulture funds in recent years was carried out to ascertain the number of properties available for placement on the market to ease the housing shortage (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8069/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware one of the priorities set out in the Government’s housing strategy ‘Rebuilding Ireland’ is to ensure that the existing housing stock is used to the maximum degree possible, with a focus on measures to use vacant stock and to renew urban and rural areas.

The plan proposes to bring vacant and under-utilised housing stock back into use for both private and social housing purposes and includes an investment of €70 million by the Housing Agency which is under the remit of the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to acquire vacant properties, particularly from portfolios for sale from financial institutions and investors for social housing purposes.

I understand that the Housing Agency has thus far purchased a significant number of vacant housing units offered to the State for purchase as social houses by banks and private equity funds under this scheme and is assessing the suitability of further vacant properties. It is not possible to audit the stock in question as this engagement with the various financial institutions is ongoing and not all stock is suitable for social housing purposes but I am informed this engagement is yielding results and will continue throughout 2018.