Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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138. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will make funding available for a second vacant homes officer for Tipperary County Council due to the size of the county and the large workload that is left to one person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8952/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing housing stock is a key priority for Government, as set out in Pathway 4 of Housing for All.In January 2022, my Department communicated with local authorities outlining that funding, made available since 2018 to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office including a Vacant Homes Officer (VHO), would be increased from €50,000 to €60,000 per annum, from mid-2022.

This supports the commitment in Housing for All to ensure that VHOs are full-time. The provision of central funding reinforces the capacity of local authorities, including through the important role of VHOs, to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction with a view to increasing the opportunities for residential development. 30 out of 31 local authorities now have a full time VHO in place, including in Tipperary County Council.

The role of the VHO in each local authority is:

- To actively promote and lead the uptake within the local authority of various initiatives, schemes and funding programmes to address vacancy and bring vacant properties into residential use;

- To actively engage with owners of vacant properties and other relevant stakeholders and promote use of relevant schemes and supports to bring vacant properties into use;

- To collect, monitor and assess vacancy data locally and use that data to actively engage with property owners and promote schemes to encourage activation of properties; and

- Play a communication, promotion and advisory role both internally within the local authority and externally as a contact point for members of the public and key interested parties on vacant homes/properties.

VHOs across local authorities are supported in their work by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department. The Vacant Homes Unit supports the VHOs and the VHO network, providing information and advice, facilitating dissemination of information and best practice.

While my Department has a role in strategic workforce planning within the local government sector, Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 provides that each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible.

Accordingly, the staffing resources of Tipperary County Council is a matter for the Chief Executive of that local authority.

The VHO role and funding position for Vacant Homes Officers will be kept under review by my Department.