Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2016
522. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government about the timeframe for the turnover of social housing voids; the reason for differences in timeframes, by local authority; if he will introduce legislation to standardise and reduce turnover times of voids; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4913/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra530. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how many council-owned domestic properties are vacant and fit for habitation; how many are vacant and in need of works, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5034/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 530 together.
Information in relation to ‘Total Social Housing Dwellings Stock’, including ‘Percentage Vacant’, is available on a local authority basis on the website of the National Oversight and Audit Commission, as is information in relation to ‘Average Re-letting Time & Cost; Maintenance Cost by Unit’, at the following link:
http://noac.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/NOAC-Performance-Indicators-Report-2014.pdf. The most recent published information covering all local authorities is as at 31/12/2014. The information recorded and published is in respect of re-letting times and accordingly, the response of those on the waiting list to offers of such social houses, once remediated, can be a factor in the times recorded.
The time taken to turn around vacant social houses varies from property to property and depends on the level of refurbishment required for each individual property. I have placed a high priority as Minister on supporting local authorities to return vacant social housing units to productive use for those on the housing waiting list. Between 2014 and 2015, some 5,000 such units were remediated with the support of my Department and were made available to those on housing waiting lists. In those two years, my Department has provided some €60 million in funding for this purpose. This investment is a very significant support to deal with the backlog of vacant social housing units and a key element in the early addressing of social housing need.
I should point out that there will always be a level of vacant social housing stock and the numbers, the precise units and the times taken to return them to use will fluctuate on an ongoing basis dependent on, for example, the condition of the houses when vacated. As social houses become vacant, local authorities must establish the remediation work, if any, that is required for their early re-tenanting. Between the additional staffing resources I have made available to local authorities, as well as the € 60 million direct funding I have provided to date, local authorities are continuing to receive strong support to maximise the use of their stock and its early availability for tenanting.
