Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
646. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if he will address the concerns outlined; the measures that his Department is taking to address these issues. [40090/22]
View answerPathway 4 of Housing for All is focused on addressing vacancy and making efficient use of existing stock. Under that Pathway, the Government committed to introducing a specific Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund, to be delivered by Local Authorities, to support the refurbishment of vacant properties and for the provision of serviced sites for housing to attract people to build their own homes, enabling people to live in small towns and villages in a sustainable way.
The Fund was launched on the 14 July 2022 and is initially focused on the grant for vacant property refurbishment. Applications for grants to refurbish vacant and derelict properties in towns and villages can now be made to local authorities.
As set out in Housing for All, it is intended that in the future the Fund will also address the provision of Serviced Sites by local authorities in towns and villages which people can buy and then self-build upon. My Department is working on this and I expect to be in a position to launch this aspect of the Fund in the near future.
