Richard O'Donoghue (Limerick County, Independent)
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685. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the position regarding vacant social housing in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40333/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The level of vacancy in local authority housing stock will fluctuate over time as tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process.

Data in relation to the number of vacant local authority units are not collated by my Department, however, statistics in relation to the social housing stock 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 the level of vacancy broken down by local authority. The most recent report, relating to 2019, is available on the NOAC website at the following link:

My Department funded the largest ever voids programme in 2020 with a spend of €56m of which €2.774m was made available to Limerick City and County Council. A hugely significant voids programme is available to local authorities again in 2021 with an allocation of €1.639m having been made available to Limerick City and County Council earlier this year. Responsibility for the management and maintenance of the local authority housing stock is the responsibility of the local authority under section 28 of the Housing Act, 2009. My Department will however continue to support local authorities in this regard. It is important though that local authorities budget adequately for housing management and maintenance as part of their annual budgeting process using the available housing rental income to its maximum.