Written answers
Tuesday, 9 July 2024
Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government
Vacant Properties
Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
446. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total number of vacant and derelict homes brought back into use in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024, broken down by each of the relevant vacant and derelict home schemes, in tabular form. [29849/24]
Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
447. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on the research by his Department into the number of vacant and derelict homes across the State. [29850/24]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I propose to take Questions Nos. 446 and 447 together.
Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government.
The Vacant Homes Action Plan, which I launched in January 2023, outlines the significant progress that has been made in addressing vacancy, along with the actions that are being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. Last month, I launched the Vacant Homes Action Plan, Progress Report April 2024 which sets out what has been achieved in 2023 and the further steps that will be taken in 2024.
Information on the number of properties brought back into use through the various vacancy initiatives is detailed in the table attached.
A Vacancy Survey project, supported by my Department, commenced in December 2022. The survey is not intended to be a comprehensive count of every vacant and derelict property in each local authority administrative area, rather its objective is to provide local authorities with a database of vacant and derelict properties which they can update on an ongoing basis and use to engage with property owners and work with them to bring those properties back into use.
The survey is underway but has not yet been completed by all local authorities and my Department is continuing to liaise with local authorities in relation to the survey.
| Vacancy Initiative | Units Delivered |
|---|---|
| Croí Cónaithe Towns Fund | The Department publishes data on number of applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which can be accessed at the following link: gov.ie - Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics (www.gov.ie) |
| Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) Call 3 | The Department recently announced that more than 1,200 vacant and derelict properties have been identified and approved under URDF Call 3. |
| Repair and Leasing | Delivery under the Repair and Leasing Scheme in respect of all local authorities to end 2023 is published on the Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/6060e-overall-social-housing-provision/#repair-and-leasing-scheme-rls. |
| Buy and Renew | To date, in excess of 900 Units have been delivered through Buy and Renew since 2016. |
| Planning Exemption Notifications | Since 2018, almost 1,200 notifications have been received in relation to properties where it was intended to provide such conversions, resulting in over 2,700 new homes being provided under the planning exemption. |
No comments