Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
727. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of empty or unoccupied domestic dwellings in County Wexford by local electoral area; the action that has been taken to date in relation to these properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19213/21]
View answerMy Department does not hold the data on the amount of empty or unoccupied domestic dwellings in the State, nor does it hold data on the number of vacant properties in local electoral areas.
My Department is focused on ensuring that existing housing stock is utilised to its fullest extent including a targeted, effective and co-ordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. In that regard, my Department and local authorities are being proactive in dealing with vacant properties and there are a number of schemes available to incentivise reactivating suitable dwellings into the liveable housing stock.
The National Vacant Housing Reuse Strategy was published in July 2018, and provides a targeted, effective and coordinated approach to identifying and tackling vacancy across Ireland. The range of objectives and actions it specifies have been pursued in partnership with stakeholders and agencies across the housing sector to address vacancy in our housing stock.
The key drivers of these actions are: local authorities, the Housing Agency, and Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs), supported by schemes available within my Department specifically designed to tackle vacancy, such as the Repair and Lease Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme and the Long Term Leasing Scheme.
- The Repair and Leasing Scheme is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental properties. The scheme provides upfront funding to carry out the works and, in return, the property owner agrees to lease the dwelling to the local authority to be used as social housing for a period up to 25 years. The maximum loan for property repair available under the scheme has been increased by my Department from €40,000 to €60,000. 27 properties have been brought back into use under the Repair and Lease Scheme in County Wexford.
- The Buy and Renew initiative allows local authorities to purchase private vacant properties for use as social housing. 9 properties have been brought back into use under the scheme in County Wexford.
- The Housing Acquisitions Fund is a €70 million revolving that was established in January 2017 with the objective of enabling the Housing Agency to acquire vacant units from banks and investment companies for social housing use. The fund is replenished by the Housing Agency through the sale of units primarily to the AHB sector and the funds received are then recycled back into the fund for future acquisitions. To date 16 properties have been brought back into use through the fund in County Wexford.
