Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

455. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps he is taking to address dereliction in Bandon, Ballineen and Enniskeane, County Cork. [13236/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Derelict Sites Act 1990 confers significant powers upon local authorities, including requiring owners or occupiers to take appropriate measures on derelict sites, acquiring derelict sites by agreement, or compulsorily, and applying a derelict sites levy on derelict sites. It is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate use of the legislation within their respective functional areas.

Under the Act, local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site. Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register for any local authority can be inspected at the offices of that authority during office hours. Members of the public can engage with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites in their local areas.

Pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make efficient use of our existing housing stock. Many areas of cities, towns and villages of all sizes face the blight of vacant properties, which, if brought back into use, could add real vibrancy and provide new accommodation in areas and towns in County Cork. Measures taken to address Vacancy include:

- The Government launched a Vacant Homes Action Plan on 30 January which captures and reports on progress across all of the objectives in Pathway 4 of Housing for Alland the planned actions to continue to bring vacant homes into use and maximise use of existing housing stock.

- The government launched the Town Centre First policy, a major new policy initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.

- A €150 million Urban Regeneration Development Fund is being made available for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties and sites for re-use or sale.

- Funding has been provided to ensure a full-time Vacant Homes Officer is in place in Cork County Council.

- The Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, funded by the Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund was launched on 14 July 2022 for eligible vacant properties in towns and villages. On 15 November 2022, the grant was extended to include vacant properties in cities and all rural areas. A grant of up to €30,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties for occupation as a principal private residence. Where a property is derelict, a top up grant of €20,000 is available, bringing the total grant available for a derelict property to €50,000.

- The Fair Deal scheme has been reformed to reduce disincentives to selling / renting unused homes.

- I have extended planning regulations that exempt certain vacant commercial premises from requiring planning permission to change of use for residential purposes.

My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis. This data includes numbers of applications received by local authority, applications approved and rejected and application type. Data on the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant can be accessed on my Department’s website at the following link: gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant Statistics (www.gov.ie)