Written answers

Thursday, 12 December 2019

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Vacant Sites Data

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of notices issued by each planning authority regarding the vacant site tax in tabular form; if the progress of each planning authority in identifying vacant sites is being monitored; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52437/19]

Photo of Eoghan MurphyEoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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While application of the vacant site levy is a matter for individual local authorities, my Department monitors the implementation of the levy with a view to ensuring that it is being effectively applied, in line with its intended purpose of incentivising the development of vacant or under-utilised sites in urban areas.

To support this work, my Department issued Circular PL 09/2019 on 13 November 2019 requesting a second progress report on implementation of the Vacant Site Levy, including information on the number of notices issued, to be completed by the Director of Planning in each Local Authority and returned to my Department by 4 December 2019.

My Department has received the majority of these progress reports and is currently following up on any outstanding returns in order to obtain a complete national picture. At the same time, information received to date is being collated and reviewed. The information requested by the Deputy will be made available once all outstanding returns have been received, collated and examined by my Department.

My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities with a view to ensuring that the vacant site levy achieves its full potential in terms of bringing concerned sites into productive use.

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