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Housing Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 January 2022

Wednesday, 19 January 2022

Questions (492)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

492. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the details of the grants that are currently available to a first-time buyer who purchases a house for major refurbishment, renovation and retrofitting works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63520/21]

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Written answers

Housing for All published in September 2021 provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. This strategy provides for a broad suite of measures including for first-time buyers. 

In particular, in the context of addressing vacancy and and efficient use of existing stock, the strategy provides for the Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which will be delivered by local authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages, in a sustainable way. 

In addition, Housing for All provides for the launching of  a programme of Compulsory Purchase Orders to bring vacant units to the market for sale, as well as activating unused State owned properties for this purpose.  Housing for All also recognises the potential to utilise relevant heritage building stock for residential purposes, and it is also anticipated funding will be made available under the new round of European Regional Development Fund to tackle vacancy and dereliction in towns.

Separately, my colleague Eamonn Ryan, T.D., Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment recently published the National Retrofit Plan, as part of the Climate Action Plan, which sets out ambitious plan for the retrofitting  of a significant number homes by the end of 2030. The SEAI grant schemes continue to be a central element of the Government’s strategy to encourage homeowners to retrofit their homes and a new National Retrofit Scheme is planned to be launched this year.

Housing for All also commits to ensuring that vacant homes officers, in each local authority, are full-time officers to support the work of a Vacant Homes Office. My Department will be communicating with local authorities, subsequent to the forthcoming launch of the town centre first policy, with a particular focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction to support the regeneration of town centres including to ensure that vacant homes officers are full-time officers. This important resource, at the local level, will act as the single point of contact to deal with enquiries on all of the type of grants available from for the refurbishment of properties.

 

 

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