Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

808. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the houses in Limerick city and county that have received funding under the voids programme in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if any of the houses are still vacant. [20466/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Since 2014, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. This funding was initially introduced to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock.

My Department funded 216 units in Limerick City and County under the Voids Programme over the period 2018 - 2020. This figure does not include homes which were returned to productive use by Limerick City and County Council using funding from its own resources.

In relation to the current occupancy status of properties previously funded under the voids programme my Department does not maintain such records.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

809. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding streams available to local authorities for the refurbishment of vacant local authority homes in need of minor and major repairs; and the criteria and process for same. [20467/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Notwithstanding this, my Department provides annual funding support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-let under the Voids Programme. This funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock. This funding programme was introduced in 2014 and has to the end of 2020 returned 16,102 properties to use with funding of €229m from my Department.

My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work remediating vacant social housing properties in 2021. In preparation for this year’s programme a correspondence issued to all local authorities requesting they provide figures on the total number of vacant units within their social housing stock as at January 2021. This process will help inform funding requirements and allocations for this year’s Voids programme. A further communication in respect of the 2021 voids programme detailing the funding streams available will issue to all local authorities shortly.

My Departments Energy Efficiency Programme also provides funding support to local authorities for retrofitting works that can be carried out on both vacant and tenanted local authority properties. The budget for this programme has increased substantially in 2021 to €65m and allocations have issued to local authorities in this regard.

It is important to note that my Department and local authorities are working to transition from a largely response and voids based approach to housing stock management and maintenance to a planned maintenance approach. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes which will be supported by my Department’s stock improvement funding programmes.

Maurice Quinlivan (Limerick City, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

810. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the vacancy percentage of local authority owned homes for each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20468/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time, as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. Therefore, ongoing data in relation to vacant local authority owned homes are not collated by my Department.

However, statistics in relation to social housing stock, at a point in time, are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including levels of vacancy in local authority owned properties. The most recent report, relating to 2019, is available on the NOAC website at the following link: