Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2665. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of vacant properties that have been renovated in the first six months of 2018, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33408/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 58 of the Housing Act 1966 provides that the management and maintenance of local authority housing stock is a matter for each individual local authority. The Voids Programme, introduced in 2014 by my Department, provides additional support to local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. The purpose of the Voids Programme is to ensure that vacant units are actively targeted, with a view to minimising the turnaround and re-let time of these units and return them to use in an energy efficient condition.
The exchequer funding provided by the Department under these programmes is to support the return of vacant units to productive use and available for re-letting in an energy efficient condition at a reasonable cost. This funding is available as an additional support over and above what local authorities provide themselves towards such work . While my Department, under the voids programme, provides a measure of funding to local authorities to assist them in bringing vacant local authority housing stock back to productive use, it is a matter for individual local authorities to determine whether and when they refurbish a property. Between 2014 and 2017, some 9,227 vacant units have been returned to productive use under the voids programme. At end quarter 1 2018, a further 108 vacant units had been returned to productive use under this programme.
Earlier this year, local authorities submitted to my Department details of their work proposals and related funding requirements for the voids programme in 2018. My Department is continuing to engage on an ongoing basis with local authorities with a view to progressing measures to bring as many vacant and underutilised properties as possible back into use.
