Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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394. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to conduct a review of the vacant site tax. [21094/20]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department proactively engages 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. In this regard, my Department issued Circular Letter PL 08/2020 on 9 June 2020 requesting the submission of a further progress report on the implementation of the levy by each local authority.

My Department received a return from each of the 31 local authorities which indicated that as of 1 January 2020 there were 369 sites listed on local authority registers. These sites will be levied at 7% market valuation rate in 2021 unless works commence in the interim or their inclusion on the registers is successfully appealed.

The levy is not intended to be a revenue generating measure with the proceeds accruing to the relevant local authority rather than the Exchequer. The levy proceeds generated are specifically intended to be used by local authorities for the provision of housing and regeneration development in the local area in which vacant sites are located. No more than 10% of the levy monies received by planning authorities may be used on their administration costs in collecting the levy.

The Programme for Government – Our Shared Futurecommits to strengthening enforcement of the Vacant Site Levy and keeping the legislation under review. The responses provided by local authorities to the most recent progress report request are currently being examined by my Department to see, among other things, what further implementation supports may be required. My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities and monitor implementation of the levy with a view to ensuring that it achieves its full potential.