Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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873. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant sites on the local authorities vacant site register for each of the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37764/23]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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874. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a breakdown of the unpaid vacant site levies due to each local authority over the past five years, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37765/23]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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878. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the steps his Department is taking to assist the local authorities in Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Galway County, Kerry, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Monaghan, Offaly, Tipperary and Westmeath, to establish a vacant sites register and to enforce and collect the 7% annual vacant sites levy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37769/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 873, 874 and 878 together.

Under the vacant site levy provisions contained in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the 2015 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 issued Circular Letter PL 03/2023 on 4 April 2023 requesting the submission of a progress report on the implementation and collection of the levy by each local authority. This information is provided in the attached Table.

It should be noted that the vacant site levy arrangements are being stood down and are being replaced by the new Residential Zoned Land Tax which is due to come into effect in 2024 and will be collected by the Revenue Commissioners. Under section 19 of the 2015 Act, unpaid vacant site levies due will 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 outstanding levies due are paid.

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