Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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662. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to an issue (details supplied) in relation to a vacant site; if the issue will be investigated and the appropriate action taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14571/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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My Department has been advised by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council (DLRCC) that it served a notice on 11 February 2021 under section 11 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 on the owner of the property in question to undertake specified works to address the derelict state of the property i.e. cut-back and removal of overgrown vegetation, removal of other litter and debris, repair of entrance gates and boundary wall etc. The owner was given 8 weeks to comply with the section 11 notice. DLRCC has confirmed that the necessary works to comply with the notice are presently ongoing at the site.

With regard to alleged pest infestation at the site, this is a matter which falls under the remit of the Minister for Health under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act 1919. However, DLRCC has further advised in this regard that a private pest control company has visited the site on three occasions which has reported that no rodents have been caught in the laid traps during the three visits.   

The notice regarding this case. DLRCC has confirmed to my Department that no specific report has been prepared in this case. DLRCC provided an update that there has been an undertaking by the property owner to carry out all of the works that were set out under in the notice that was issued by the Council under section 11 of the Derelict Sites Act 1990, and that these works are due to be undertaken in the coming weeks.

Although the specific matter of pest infestation is not a matter in which I, as Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage have any statutory function.  Pest control referred to in the question falls under the remit of the Minister for Health under the Rats and Mice (Destruction) Act 1919. However, DLRCC conveyed to my Department that a pest control company has visited the site on three separate occasions and that no mice or rats have been caught in traps during these three visits.