Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1265. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if legislation is in place for a Government housing body to take over unfinished ghost estates after a certain period and to complete them as finished housing units for the people; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19965/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Local authorities will implement a range of powers available under planning, building control and other relevant legislation in an integrated way and will work pro-actively with developers, receivers, financial institutions and local communities in securing satisfactory resolutions for unfinished housing developments.

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.

The Vacant Homes Action Plan, published in January 2023, built on Pathway 4 and set out the various actions that were being pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes. In March I published the 2025 Progress Report which shows the significant progress that is being made and it is available on my Department's website at the following link: gov - Vacant Homes Action Plan 2023-2026 (www.gov.ie).

The CPO Activation Programme was launched by my Department in April 2023. It provides for a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to identifying vacant and derelict properties and engaging with owners to bring those properties back into use. My Department continues to provide support and guidance on the implementation of the Programme to all local authorities.

Under Housing for All, each local authority was required to prepare a Housing Delivery Action Plan. This Plan sets out details of both social and affordable housing delivery as appropriate over the period 2022-2026, in line with targets set under Housing for All. The Plans include details of land requirements to meet targets. The Plans have been published on each local authority's own website.

Social Housing is delivered through a range of local authority and Approved Housing Body (AHB) delivery programmes. Where a local authority is seeking to deliver social housing, Exchequer funding is made available under the Social Housing Investment Programme (SHIP), my Department provides 100% of these costs to local authorities including the site costs.

Under the Capital Assistance Scheme (CAS) up to 100% Capital funding is provided to AHBs to provide new social homes for priority categories to include homeless, disability and age friendly housing.

CALF funding is capital support provided to AHBs by local authorities to facilitate the funding of construction, acquisition or refurbishment of new social housing units. This loan facility can support from 25% to 30% of the eligible capital cost of the housing project.

In addition, the Housing for All Land Acquisition Fund was established in 2022 to support local authorities and AHBs to acquire land to deliver new build social housing schemes. This was extended in 2024 to include land for affordable housing. The fund has an overall allocation of €239m and is managed by the Housing Agency.