Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
317. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of void council properties that have been brought back into local authority use in County Wexford per year since 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48237/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2014, Exchequer funding has been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to support local authorities in preparing vacant units for re-letting. This funding was initially introduced to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted at ensuring minimal turnaround and re-let times for local authority vacant stock.
Over the period 2016-2020, 132 properties were remediated in Wexford under the Voids Programme funded by my Department. The table below provides the breakdown by year. This figure does not include properties returned to productive use by the local authority using funding from their own resources.
|
- |
Units Returned in 2016 |
Units Returned in 2017 |
Units Returned in 2018 |
Units Returned in 2019 |
Units Returned in 2020 |
Units Returned 2016-20 |
|
Wexford |
17 |
34 |
8 |
29 |
44 |
132 |
My Department announced earlier this year that funding will be provided for the refurbishment and re-letting of approximately 3,000 social homes this year. Each local authority has been allocated a number of properties and work in this regard is underway but it will be later this year before significant recoupment claims are lodged with my Department. Full details in relation to the 2021 Voids programme will be available early in 2022.
