Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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258. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of CPO initiated against derelict property by each local authority each year since 2020, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28075/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, local authorities are required to maintain a Derelict Sites Register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site.

A property can be placed on the Derelict Site Register where it is deemed by a local authority to satisfy the criteria under section 3 of the Act i.e. (i) it is in a dangerous or ruinous condition; (ii) it is in a neglected or unsightly condition; or (iii) there is a presence of litter, waste or debris on the site. Section 8(5) of the Act, provides that "The register shall be kept at the offices of the local authority and shall be available for inspection at the offices of the local authority during office hours."

Local authorities are empowered under a number of statutes to acquire land, by agreement or compulsorily, for the purposes of performing any of their functions. Specifically, the number of derelict sites acquired within their functional area by local authorities under the provisions of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 (the Act) is submitted to my Department by local authorities as part of their annual return on the operation of the Act. My Department does not however gather data on the compulsory acquisition or agreement processes initiated. The number of sites acquired under the Act by local authorities, both by way of compulsory acquisition or by agreement, in the years 2020 to 2023 is provided in the Table attached. The returns are collected in Quarter 2 of the following year and accordingly my Department is currently engaging with local authorities on the returns for 2024.

A new Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) Activation Programme was launched by my Department in April 2023. The Programme supports a proactive and systematic approach by local authorities to the activation of vacant and derelict properties. It also includes guidance for local authorities to actively use their legislative powers to acquire vacant and derelict properties, where engagement with owners has been unsuccessful. Support and guidance on implementation of the Programme is being provided to local authorities by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department and by the Property Optimisation Unit in the Housing Agency.