Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 May 2022
325. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of a vacant building (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22556/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra349. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has sought a list of vacant properties from the HSE; if so, when a decision will be made on these properties; if he has put a stay on all current sales or potential sales of HSE properties until the identification process is finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22749/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 325 and 349 together.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) is responsible for meeting the immediate and short-term accommodation needs of persons arriving in Ireland from the conflict in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, my Department is focusing on the medium and long-term accommodation challenges and is leading cross-government efforts through a Housing Taskforce established by Government for this purpose. All options are being examined by the Taskforce, including refurbishment and reconfiguration of vacant buildings.
As part of this work, my Department requested central and local government to identify and inventory public or private owned vacant buildings that may be used or configured for multi-occupancy accommodation in the medium to long-term term.
More than 500 vacant properties have been identified and notified to my Department to date. Some 90 or so, capable of accommodating around 5,000 persons, have been deemed suitable for almost immediate occupation and my Department has passed these over for use in DCEDIY-led response efforts.
The remaining properties, and those still being returned by local authorities, government departments and State agencies, continue to be screened and validated. My Department is engaging bilaterally with the departments and agencies, including the HSE, regarding the refurbishment or reconfiguration of such properties as multi-purpose accommodation. It would be premature to comment on any individual buildings at this time.
Information regarding the status of particular buildings owned or controlled by government departments or State agencies, including their availability as temporary accommodation, should be directed to those departments and agencies.
