Written answers

Thursday, 21 September 2023

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Vacant Properties

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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185. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of local authority void housing units for the cities Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford recycled per annum within each 12-month period for the years 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40827/23]

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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186. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the average cost and average turnaround time of local authority void housing units for the cities Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford per annum within each 12-month period for the years 2019 to 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40828/23]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.

The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966.

Since 2014, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. This funding was initially introduced to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock.

An annualised breakdown by local authority of the funding provided and the number of properties remediated under the Voids programme for the years 2014 up to and including 2022 is available on my Department's website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme

Local authorities have been notified of their targets and funding available for 2023, however, it will be later this year before significant claims have been received. Full details on 2023 will be available early in 2024.

Details in relation to vacancy is not routinely collated by my Department however, statistics in relation to the social housing stock are published by the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC) in their Annual Reports on Performance Indicators in Local Authorities. These reports provide a range of information in relation to social housing stock, including vacancy and the average time taken to re-tenant a dwelling. The most recent report, relating to 2021 as published in November 2022, is available on the NOAC website at the following link:

noac.ie/noac_publications/report-50-noac-performance-indicator-report-2021/

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