Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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36. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will provide details on Kildare County Council’s return to his Department regarding the Progress Report on Implementation of the Vacant Site Levy requested pursuant to Circular letter PL 03/2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26598/22]

Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Under the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites registers from 2019 onwards which site owners became liable to pay in January of the following year.

My Department recently issued Circular Letter PL 03/2022 requesting the submission of a further progress report on the implementation and collection of the levy by local authorities.

In it's progress report in response to this Circular, Kildare County Council indicated that 6 sites were considered liable for the levy in 2021 in respect of 2020. However, due to appeals to the Valuation Tribunal and the submission of details of planning permissions refused during 2020, no levy demands in respect of these sites were issued. 

The Council further indicated that 13 sites are liable for the levy in 2022 in respect of 2021. Demands will issue shortly in respect of 6 of these sites with a market valuation attached of €701,050.00.

A further 5 sites have recently had appeal determinations made by An Bord Pleanála. These 5 sites are currently being valued as a result. In addition, following the submission of legal correspondence and sworn undertakings in respect of 2 of the sites that were under appeal, the Council is now satisfied that they should be considered exempt from the application of the levy for the period 2020 and have consequently now been removed from their Vacant Site Register.

It should be noted that under section 19 of the Act, unpaid levies due remain a charge on the land in question until they are paid. My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities to ensure that all vacant site levies due are paid and that the measure can achieve its full potential.