Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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238. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will report on the Housing for All plan for the collection of data on vacancy levels with a view to introducing a new vacant property tax to ensure empty properties are used. [17550/22]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s strategy ‘Housing For All’includes an action for my Department to collect data on vacancy with a view to introducing a Vacant Property Tax. The timeframe for delivery on this commitment is the second quarter of 2022. The Finance (Local Property Tax) (Amendment) Act 2021 enabled Revenue to collect certain information in relation to the occupancy status of residential properties including , where unoccupied, the duration and reason for this, in the Local Property Tax (LPT) return forms submitted by residential property owners in respect of the new LPT valuation period 2022-2025. This information, together with information from other available sources, will be used to assess the merits and impact of introducing a Vacant Property Tax.

Revenue have completed a preliminary analysis of the LPT returns received to date which has recently been shared with my Department. The results of the preliminary analysis suggest that levels of vacancy are low across all counties. I anticipate that further detail in relation to this analysis will be available in the coming weeks.