Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 November 2019
1193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the degree to which he can become directly involved in the upgrading, improving and reletting of local authority houses currently out of use and boarded up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45480/19]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of planned maintenance programmes and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under the Housing Acts. My Department is supportive of local authorities in bringing vacant social homes back to productive use and since 2014, under the Voids Programme, has provided funding of €145.5 million to support local authorities in returning almost 11,000 homes back to use. In addition, during 2019, further allocations of over €27 million were made to local authorities to assist in this regard.
While my Department will continue to support this activity with significant funding and in pressing the need for early re-letting of vacated social homes, elected Councillors also have a key role to play. It is important that Councillors oversee the work of their local authorities in this and other important housing areas.
