Eoin Ó Broin
Question:631. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of homes brought into use to date in 2021 via the buy and renew scheme. [39523/21]
View answerTuesday, 27 July 2021
Questions (631)
Written answers
Since the Buy and Renew Scheme was introduced, local authorities have used it to acquire and renew approximately 700 homes for social housing use. Statistical information for delivery in 2021 is only published for Quarter 1 so far, in which 10 further Buy and Renew properties were acquired. Statistical information for Quarter 2 of 2021 is being collected and will be published shortly.
I have asked local authorities to increasingly target vacant and derelict properties that can be brought back to use as part of new public housing delivery, particularly where good value for money can be obtained and there is no impact on the local property market and I have assured them of my Department's support in this regard. Going forward, local authorities will be tackling such vacancy and dereliction through a more construction-led approach to deliver new social homes on existing sites and to support town centre and urban improvements.