Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

228. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the provision given to Cork City Council to reimburse CPOs in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021. [34056/21]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The funding of sites that local authorities acquire, whether through compulsory purchase or otherwise, is related to the purpose for which the local authority uses the site. For example, my Department provides full funding to local authorities for sites that are used for social housing developments, while other Departments will support sites used for programmes that they support in line with the functions of the local authority. Accordingly, the proportion of the overall annual budget provided by my Department to each local authority which is spent on compulsory acquisition is not available from my Department but may be available from individual local authorities.  

Local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of its functions, including the acquisition of derelict sites situated within their functional area under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990. In this connection, the exercise of compulsory purchase powers to acquire land is a matter for local authorities and is subject to confirmation by An Bord Pleanála through the appropriate statutory procedure. 

My Department encourages local authorities to be proactive in utilising their legislative powers for compulsory purchase, where necessary, with the aim of bringing the greatest number of recoverable long term vacant dwellings and sites back into use. In many cases, however, the use of compulsory purchase powers is not necessary, as agreement to purchase can be reached between the local authority and the property owner.