Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 November 2023
95. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the budget allocation for refurbishing social housing voids for each year since 2020, broken down by local authority, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50088/23]
View answerThe management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authority officials and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to supplement the local authority funding available for the preparation of vacant properties for re-letting. The funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock. The emphasis is on minimum refurbishment works to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 to ensure quick turnaround and re-letting times.
Full details in relation to output under the Voids programme from 2014 to 2022, are available on the Department’s website and can be accessed using the link below.
www.gov.ie/en/collection/0906a-other-local-authority-housing-scheme-statistics/#voids-programme
My Department continues to support local authorities in their work in this area. The 2023 Programme provides funding of €31 million to Local Authorities to support the refurbishment and re-letting of a minimum of vacant 2,300 homes, and continue the transition from a reactive Voids approach to stock management, to a planned maintenance approach.
