Thomas Gould
Question:325. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if local authorities are limited to applying only for the number of voids as set out in Rebuilding Ireland targets. [10119/21]
View answerWednesday, 24 February 2021
Questions (325)
Written answers
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including the cost of pre-letting repairs to vacant properties and the carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. However since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Departments Voids programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting.
Under Rebuilding Ireland the number of voids counted against the build output were capped in respect of each local authority. However, given the demand for housing it was imperative that properties were not left vacant for long periods. My Department therefore actively encouraged all local authorities to ensure that all vacant properties were returned to productive use as expeditiously as possible and local authorities were not therefore limited to funding at the capped voids figures. Any approved voids funded by my Department that were completed in excess of the Rebuilding Ireland targets, were reported in parallel to the Rebuilding Ireland numbers.