Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 February 2017
228. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of the operation of the buy and renew scheme in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6833/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe initiative to support the purchase and renewal of private houses for social housing use will be available in all local authority areas, including Tipperary during 2017. I have made an initial €25 million available for this initiative this year and propose to increase this to as much as €50 million in 2018, depending on the uptake. I expect this investment to deliver between 400 and 500 renewed houses for social housing use.
The full details of this initiative are being finalised and will be communicated to all local authorities shortly. The initiative may present opportunities for local authorities and approved housing bodies to tackle dereliction in towns and urban areas, but prospective housing units will always need to be suitable for social housing use, in an area of need and to represent reasonable value for money.
I know that Tipperary County Council is commencing a process of identifying properties to which this initiative might apply and I look forward to receiving their proposals in the near future.
