Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 June 2022
97. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 741 of 21 April 2021, if he receives regular updates on the number of homes applied for through the vacant homes scheme by local authority; and if so, if he will provide the up-to-date figures for 2021 and to date in 2022. [28359/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand the Deputy is referring to the Repair and Leasing Scheme, the Buy and Renew Scheme and the Housing Acquisitions Fund.
The Repair and Leasing Scheme 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 properties. The scheme provides upfront funding to carry out the works and, in return, the property owner agrees to lease the dwelling to the local authority to be used as social housing for a period up to 25 years. The maximum loan for property repair available under the Repair and Lease Scheme has been increased by my Department from €40,000 to €60,000.
The Buy and Renew Scheme supports local authorities in purchasing and renewing housing units in need of repair, which can then be made available for social housing use. Local authorities have already purchased c.750 homes for social housing use. Nationally, the average cost to deliver one of these homes under the Scheme is c.€196,000 including the cost for the necessary improvement works to the properties.
The Housing Agency Acquisitions Fund is a €70 million revolving that was established in January 2017 with the objective of enabling the Housing Agency to acquire vacant units from banks and investment companies for social housing use. The fund is replenished by the Housing Agency through the sale of units primarily to the AHB sector and the funds received are then recycled back into the fund for future acquisitions.
The Table below gives a breakdown of the number of properties delivered under each of the schemes in each local authority up to the end of Q4 2021.
|
LA |
Repair& Lease Total Properties Delivered up to Q4 2021 |
Buy and Renew Dwellings Delivered up to Q4 2021 |
Housing Agency Acquisitions Fund Delivered up to end Q4 2021 |
Total |
|
Carlow |
4 |
37 |
7 |
48 |
|
Cavan |
0 |
1 |
5 |
6 |
|
Clare |
10 |
32 |
7 |
49 |
|
Cork City |
2 |
43 |
8 |
53 |
|
Cork County |
5 |
50 |
71 |
126 |
|
DLR |
2 |
13 |
15 |
30 |
|
Donegal |
0 |
1 |
11 |
12 |
|
Dublin City |
2 |
63 |
164 |
229 |
|
Fingal |
27 |
43 |
94 |
164 |
|
Galway City |
0 |
2 |
17 |
19 |
|
Galway County |
3 |
0 |
22 |
25 |
|
Kerry |
4 |
41 |
21 |
66 |
|
Kildare |
1 |
8 |
75 |
84 |
|
Kilkenny |
2 |
8 |
11 |
21 |
|
Laois |
1 |
24 |
24 |
49 |
|
Leitrim |
0 |
6 |
5 |
11 |
|
Limerick |
28 |
72 |
22 |
122 |
|
Longford |
6 |
11 |
7 |
24 |
|
Louth |
3 |
85 |
11 |
99 |
|
Mayo |
13 |
4 |
6 |
23 |
|
Meath |
1 |
52 |
35 |
88 |
|
Monaghan |
6 |
19 |
3 |
28 |
|
Offaly |
0 |
5 |
12 |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
4 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
|
Sligo |
0 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
|
SDCC |
0 |
0 |
71 |
71 |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
26 |
39 |
66 |
|
Waterford |
126 |
57 |
24 |
207 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
4 |
13 |
18 |
|
Wexford |
27 |
17 |
20 |
64 |
|
Wicklow |
0 |
0 |
18 |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
279 |
728 |
845 |
1852 |
