Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 23 June 2022
72. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline the commitments made to tackle vacant housing in the Housing for All Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33088/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraHousing for All (published in September 2021) provides a new housing plan for Ireland to 2030 with the overall objective that every citizen in the State should have access to good quality homes through a steady supply of housing in the right locations, with economic, social and environmental sustainability built into the system. The strategy sets out, over four pathways, a broad suite of measures to achieve its policy objectives together with a financial commitment of in excess of €4 billion per annum.
The suite of measures under the pathway to addressing vacancy and efficient use of existing stock includes:
- A new Town Centre First policy (launched on 4 February 2022) which is a major new policy initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.
- The Croí Cónaithe (Towns) Fund which will be delivered by local authorities for the provision of serviced sites for housing, to attract people to build their own homes and to support the refurbishment of vacant properties, enabling people to live in small towns and villages, in a sustainable way.
- A new local authority-led programme to help Local Authorities buy or compulsory purchase 2,500 vacant homes in their areas which can then be sold on the open market which will ensure homes don’t lie vacant.
- Engagement with local authorities on the operation of both the Vacant Site Levy (pending its replacement by the Residential Zoned Land Tax) and, particularly, the Derelict Site Levy to identify issues and challenges that have arisen in the operation of the two levies to date with the objective of improving their effectiveness. The introduction of the Residential Zoned Land Tax was included in the Finance Act 2021, and will come into effect in 2024 for lands zoned and serviced for residential development.
- Reform of the Fair Deal Scheme to remove disincentives to selling or renting unused homes.
- The Historic Towns Initiative has now been adjusted to encourage private owners and occupiers to bring vacant floor area in historic buildings back into use and encourage projects that address dereliction and vacancy in particular.
- The re-use of vacant properties will be a key criteria in future funding rounds of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and Urban Regeneration and Development Funds.
