Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2017
510. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the funding in place to help local authorities deal with vacant housing in counties Cavan and Monaghan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47882/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Voids Programme was introduced in 2014 by my Department to provide support to local authorities in preparing vacant social houses for re-letting as speedily as possible. This funding is available as an additional support over and above what local authorities provide themselves towards such works.
Between 2014 and 2016, my Department provided funding of some €1.45m to Cavan and Monaghan County Councils to assist in returning 157 vacant social houses to productive use. A further allocation of over €745,000 has been allocated to Cavan and Monaghan County Councils in 2017 to undertake the refurbishment of further vacant social houses.
In addition to local authorities being able to avail of funding provided under my Department's social housing capital investment programme to acquire, as well as construct, housing, a number of specific initiatives, such as the Repair and Leasing Scheme and the Buy and Renew Scheme, have also been introduced to support efforts by local authorities to engage with property owners with a view to bringing vacant residential property back into use for social housing purposes. My Department will continue to actively engage with any proposals brought forward by either Cavan or Monaghan County Councils in this regard.
In relation to the Repair and Leasing Scheme (RLS) specifically, this is targeted at owners of vacant properties who cannot afford or access the funding needed to bring their properties up to the required standard for rental purposes. Subject to the suitability of the property for social housing and the agreement of the property owner, the cost of undertaking the necessary repairs to a property up to a maximum of €40,000 will be met up-front by the local authority or an approved housing body (AHB).
Data for Cavan County Council and Monaghan County Council, based on the first full six months of activity of the scheme at end-September 2017, are set out in the table below. While no Agreements to Lease have been signed to date in the two counties concerned, the process of finalising units is under way and I expect a number of agreements will be signed shortly.
|
Local Authority |
Number of applications received under RLS |
|
Cavan County Council |
19 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
9 |
Finally, under the Government's Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness - Rebuilding Ireland, an Acquisitions Fund of €70m, which is a revolving fund operated by the Housing Agency, has been established with the objective of acquiring 1,600 units nationally over the period to 2020 for social housing use. The Housing Agency is actively engaged with banks and investment companies in relation to its acquisitions programme. Once properties have been offered for consideration to the Agency by banks or investment companies, the Agency co-ordinates with local authorities regarding their local social housing requirements. When purchased by the Agency, these units are then predominantly sold on to approved housing bodies who seek nominations of prospective tenants from the local authorities.
