David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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265. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant residential units in Waterford city and county; and the number as a percentage of all residential units in the city and county. [44633/21]

David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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266. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the housing vacancy rate by local authority area and small areas for Waterford city and county. [44634/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 265 and 266 together.

My Department does not hold the data on the amount of vacant residential units in the State, however, Housing Policy Objective 19 in the recently published Housing for All Plan provides for the collection of data on vacant residential units with a view to introducing a vacant property tax. The Local Property Tax returns in November 2021 will provide a new source of information in this regard.

Local authorities are well placed to identify and collate information on vacant properties based on a number of sources of information. As part of Housing for All the Government has committed to a range of actions as part of the pathway to address vacancy and ensure the efficient use of housing stock and this includes ensuring that the Vacant Home Officers based in local authorities are all full-time posts.

To further assist in recording levels of vacancy, the vacanthomes.iewebsite has been developed by Mayo County Council on behalf of the local government sector. This provides a central portal for individuals to anonymously log possible vacant properties and alert local authorities who can then follow up with the owners to see whether the house can be re-used quickly. The total of properties logged on the website nationally currently stands at 6,263. The number of properties logged in Waterford City and County currently stands at 217.