Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2021
82. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the actions he plans to take to strengthen the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and to support local authorities in their ability to tackle derelict sites. [33893/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site.
The Derelict Sites Act 1990 confers significant powers upon local authorities, including requiring owners or occupiers to take appropriate measures on derelict sites, acquiring derelict sites by agreement, or compulsorily, and applying a derelict sites levy on derelict sites. It is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate use of the legislation within their respective functional areas.
Under the Act, local authorities are required to maintain a derelict sites register, which includes the name and address of each owner and occupier, where these can be ascertained by reasonable enquiry, of any land which, in the opinion of the local authority, is a derelict site. Under section 8(5) of the Act, a copy of the derelict sites register for any local authority can be inspected at the offices of that authority during office hours. Members of the public can engage with their local authority in relation to addressing individual derelict sites in their local areas.
Under the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2018, both the Derelict Site Levy and the Vacant Site Levy increased from 3% to 7% of the market valuation of relevant sites with effect from January 2020. These levies are applied annually for as long as relevant sites remain derelict or vacant. This change in the rate of the levies is intended to ensure that the levies have more meaningful impact and that the powers of local authorities in tackling dereliction and vacancy are strengthened for the purpose of bringing relevant sites into productive use, thereby facilitating urban regeneration and development in designated areas while also combatting land hoarding.
While the legislation is kept under regular review, there are no plans to amend the legislation at this point in time.
