Vacant Sites

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 March 2022

Wednesday, 23 March 2022

Questions (61)

Pa Daly

Question:

61. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the vacant site levy that was collected in 2021 compared to demands; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15249/22]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

Under the vacant site levy provisions in the Urban Regeneration and Housing Act 2015 (the Act), planning authorities were empowered to apply a vacant site levy of 3% of the market valuation of relevant properties which were listed on local authority vacant site registers in 2018, which relevant owners were liable to pay in January 2019. The rate of the levy increased to 7% for sites listed on local authority vacant sites registers from 2019 onwards which site owners became liable to pay in January of the following year.

The most recent data available in relation to the collection of the levy is based on returns submitted to my Department further to the issuing of Circular Letter PL 03/2021 on 8 March 2021 requesting the submission of a progress report on the implementation and collection of the levy by each local authority in respect of the previous year, 2020.

The returns received further to that request indicated that local authorities issued levy demands totalling €11,883,200 in respect of 2020. The final amount collected in respect of 2020 will not be available until local authorities submit final returns for that year, which will be requested shortly in association with an initial data request in respect of 2021.

For information, the returns submitted by local authorities in 2020 indicated that levy demands totalling €13,296,481 were issued in respect of the previous year (2019) and that the amount of levy collected in that year was €1,183,700. It should be noted that under section 19 of the Act, unpaid levies due remain a charge on the land in question until they are paid. My Department will continue to engage proactively with local authorities to ensure that all vacant site levies due are paid and that the measure can achieve its full potential.