Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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41. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for a report on the compulsory purchase order activation programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24723/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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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 – Progress Report 2025, launched in March, sets out the significant progress that has been achieved across government under objectives contained in Pathway 4 of Housing for All in 2024 and the further steps that will be taken in 2025 to bring more vacant and derelict properties into use as homes.

The CPO Activation Programme was launched by my Department in April 2023. The Programme encourages a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to address vacancy and dereliction. As part of the Programme, guidance and supports are provided for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers under the Housing Act and the Derelict Sites Act to compulsorily acquire vacant and derelict properties, where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful.

Implementation of the Programme requires cross team co-operation and co-ordination in each local authority to support a focused approach to addressing vacancy and dereliction. This is occurring in local authorities with reorganisation of staff resources and establishment of other structures to support co-ordination.

My Department, along with the Property Optimisation Unit in the Housing Agency, will continue to support local authorities in taking a proactive and systematic approach to identifying vacant and derelict properties and engaging with owners to bring those properties back into use, including through the use of their compulsory purchase powers.