Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

641. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of derelict residential properties on the Derelict Sites Register in each local authority area; the number of enforcement actions taken in 2023 and 2024; and the number of properties brought back into use in each period. [63908/25]

John Cummins (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site as defined in the Act. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site.

Each local authority maintains a derelict sites register under section 8 of the Act for sites which they consider are derelict under the Act. Sites entered on the derelict sites register are subject to an annual derelict sites levy of 7% of market value, which will continue to apply until the site is rendered non-derelict. However, the placing of sites on the register and the collecting of levies on those sites are part of the overall process that local authorities undertake with the owners of derelict sites they identify. Local authorities engage directly with site owners to try to bring these sites back into productive use and out of dereliction before they are formally listed on the register. This direct engagement can often lead to those units being brought back into productive use.

Local authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act in their functional areas. The derelict sites returns are collected in quarter 2 of the following year and my Department is finalising the 2024 returns and will publish them shortly.

A tabular statement setting out the information requested regarding the 2023 returns is attached.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

642. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant and derelict homes recorded in Cork city and Cork county; the number activated for reuse in the past two years; and the expected contribution of vacancy and dereliction measures to Cork's housing delivery to 2030. [63909/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

640. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number activated for reuse in 2023 and 2024; and the expected annual activation figures to 2030 under Delivering Homes, Building Communities. [63907/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

647. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of residential units acquired through compulsory purchase orders in 2023 and 2024; the number resold, refurbished, or brought into use; and the planned use of CPOs under Delivering Homes, Building Communities. [63914/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

662. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the funding allocated for vacancy and dereliction activation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; the number of homes activated with this funding; and the expected annual activation figures to 2030 under Delivering Homes, Building Communities. [63939/25]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 642, 640, 647 and 662 together.

Working to end dereliction and vacancy is a key priority in the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan will ensure that the activities and resources used to address vacancy and dereliction are co-ordinated, and that legislative powers are used proactively to bring dereliction and vacancy to an end.

Data in relation to vacant properties is available from a number of sources such as the Central Statistics Office (CSO), Census 2022 and GeoDirectory.

The CSO has recently developed a new statistical release on residential vacancy. The release, published on 24 September 2025, provides information on the extent of residential vacancy in 2022 and 2023, using ESB data on metered residential electricity consumption, with future regular publications planned.

In the release, the CSO note a national vacancy rate of 3.3% at the end of Q4 2023, down from 3.6% in Q4 2022. Data is provided at a national, local authority and local electoral level, including for Cork City and Cork County.

In the latest GeoDirectory Residential Buildings Report for Q2 2025, the average vacancy rate across Ireland, as measured, had dropped to 3.7%, the lowest rate recorded since 2013; a local authority breakdown is also provided.

A range of initiatives and funding mechanisms have been introduced in recent years and these measures are successfully reducing the levels of vacancy and dereliction right across the country.

One of the key measures introduced is the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022 under the Croí Cónaithe fund. The grant provides up to €70,000 for the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent.

My Department publishes data on applications for the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant on its website on a quarterly basis, which includes the total number of grants paid out where refurbishment works have been completed, per local authority. This data can be accessed at the following link: Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant statistics www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/collections/vacant-property-refurbishment-grant-statistics/#2025.

The Plan commits to 20,000 homes being brought back into use, supported by the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant.

The CPO Activation Programme was launched in 2023. This requires local authorities to take a proactive, systematic approach to identifying vacant and derelict properties and engaging with the owners to bring these properties back into use, including use of their compulsory purchase powers where engagement with owners is unsuccessful.

My Department has published data for 2023 and 2024 on the CPO Activation Programme on its website, which includes the number of properties that entered the Programme, the number of compulsory purchase/acquisitions commenced and the number of compulsory purchase/acquisitions completed per local authority. This data can be accessed at the following link: Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) Activation Programme, at assets.gov.ie/static/documents/bdfef028/CPO_Activation_Programme_-_LA_use_of_CPO_powers.pdf.

Various funding sources are available to local authorities to purchase vacant and derelict properties to bring them into use. Under Call 3 of the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF), Government established a €150 million revolving fund for local authorities to acquire vacant or derelict properties, using their compulsory purchase powers where necessary.

Funding is also available from the Social Housing Investment Programme. This programme supports local authorities to acquire and re-develop all types of vacant and derelict buildings and sites, from single properties to more extensive buildings, or blocks for social housing purposes.

All 31 local authorities have a full-time Vacant Homes Officer in place as a key point of contact in their Vacant Homes Office teams.

The new measures outlined in the Plan will build on these schemes and the significant work that has been done and outcomes achieved over the past number of years.

I firmly believe the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions under Delivering Homes, Building Communities will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes across the country.