Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 297 of 25 January 2022, when all vacant homes officers will be full-time officers; the details of any additional funding beyond the current allocation of €50,000 per annum that will be provided to local authorities to enable them to expand existing part-time vacant homes officer roles into full-time roles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12493/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that it is increasing the funding made available since 2018 from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum from mid-2022 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a vacant homes officer to support the commitment in Housing for All to ensuring that vacant homes officers are full-time officers. Local authorities have been requested to arrange for the vacant homes officer position to become full-time by the end of Q2 2022 and to notify my Department accordingly.

The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities, including through the important role of vacant homes officers, to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction with a view to increasing the opportunities for residential development.