Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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101. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will engage with local authorities on the issue of vacant properties which are owned by them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3331/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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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, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant properties for re-letting. This funding was introduced in 2014 to tackle long term vacancy and is now increasingly targeted to support authority's to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock.

In the period 2014 – 2021, Exchequer funding has been provided in excess of €260 million to remediate 18,527 vacant properties. There has been extensive funding provided over the last two years under the Voids programme which not only catered for standard relets but also for vacant properties requiring more extensive works prior to relet. This resulted in over 6,000 vacant homes being remediated in the period 2020-2021 at a cost of almost €90 million.

My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work in this area. As in previous years, all local authorities will be asked to make a funding application under the 2022 programme in respect of their vacant stock which will receive due consideration and funding allocations will issue to all local authorities in due course. It is up to each local authority to complete their programme of works based on their individual allocation and targets.

It should also be noted that local authorities will always have a level of vacancy in their housing stock. This will fluctuate over time as the tenancy surrender and re-letting of stock is an ongoing process. The below refers to the reasons for vacancy but this is not an exhaustive list.

- For demolition and major regeneration

- Not for letting – earmarked for sale

- Dispute/legal issues holding up tenancy

- 2nd hand acquisition pending refurbishment

- Repaired and awaiting letting

- New build turnkey awaiting letting

- Offered and not accepted.

Finally, 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 in response. My Department will support these work programmes by ensuring that the funding available under the various stock improvement programmes are aligned with this approach.