Eugene Murphy (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)
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29. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason there has been such a slow uptake in the repair and leasing scheme by local authorities throughout the country in view of the extent of the housing crisis and the ability of the scheme to help alleviate some of the problems; the applications received, delivered and tenanted by county for 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39084/18]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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31. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of units brought into operation through the repair and lease scheme in 2018. [38903/18]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 31 together.

The Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) was initially piloted in Carlow and Waterford and the pilot has been rolled out nationally since 23 February 2017. The scheme is one of a suite of measures available to local authorities to bring vacant properties back into use. Since the national roll out, my Department has been working intensively with local authorities and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to develop and implement the scheme. There have been a number of national and local press advertising initiatives, as well as targeted online promotion, in an effort to ensure that property owners who can benefit from the scheme are aware of the benefits.

A detailed breakdown of the RLS data up to end Q4 2017 is set out in the following table:

While the current figures for RLS are low, it should be remembered that this is a new scheme which was only rolled out to local authorities at the end of February last year.

It was clear from end 2017 output, that RLS has not yet delivered the level of new social housing homes envisaged. The operation of the scheme was reviewed, as part of the review of Rebuilding Ireland, and it was concluded that the scheme has significant potential but there are areas where it can be improved to make it more attractive and effective. Accordingly, from 1 February 2018, a number of key changes were being made to the scheme. These include:

- a reduction in the minimum lease term required from 10 to 5 years;

- increasing the proportion of market rent available to property owners where they take on more responsibilities under the tenancy, meaning that up to 92% of market rent will be available; and

- provision of additional funding for property owners, over and above the current €40,000 limit, where the dwelling is a bed-sit type dwelling being brought into compliance with the Standards for Rented Houses Regulations and made available for social housing.

Data up to end Q2 2018 has shown an increase in the number of applications although given the lead in time of at least 6 months for most applications, it is probable that the true impact of the recent changes to the scheme will not become apparent until later in the year. Over recent weeks, local authorities have indicated that the changes have been well received by property owners.

A detailed breakdown of the RLS activity in 2018, on a local authority basis, up to Q2 2018 is set out in the following table:

Table: RLS Q1 and Q2 2018