Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 May 2023
90. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the progress to date since 2020 in bringing back to habitable use local authority housing stock that was vacant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23543/23]
Amharc ar fhreagra91. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will outline if any consideration is being given to the introduction of a higher payment of voids funding to local authorities where the refurbishment cost of the unit is well above the average €50k higher payment in order to ensure any and all empty units are brought back into use as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23389/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 90 and 91 together.
The management and maintenance of local authority housing stock, including pre-letting repairs to vacant properties, the implementation of a planned maintenance programme and carrying out of responsive repairs, are matters for each individual local authority under Section 58 of the Housing Act 1966. Local authorities and elected members have a very important role to play in this regard by making adequate budgetary provision for housing repairs and cyclical maintenance utilising the housing rental income available to them as part of the annual budgetary process.
Since 2014, Exchequer funding has also been provided through my Department's Voids Programme to supplement the local authority funding available for the preparation of vacant properties for re-letting. The funding was introduced originally to tackle long term vacant units and is now increasingly targeted to support authorities to ensure minimal turnaround and re-let times for vacant stock.
The emphasis is on minimum refurbishment works to comply with the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2019 to ensure quick turnaround and re-letting times. There is no upper cap on the amount that can be spent on an individual unit, providing the total amount averaged across all dwellings submitted by a local authority does not exceed €11,000.
From 2020 to the end of 2022, expenditure of some €117.5 million has been recouped to local authorities under the Voids Programme which funded the return to productive use of 8,339 social homes nationwide.
Full details since 2014 in relation to each local authority can be viewed on my Department's website.
Given the very significant investment into the Voids Programme over recent years, local authorities should now be in a strong position to begin the transition to a strategic and informed planned maintenance approach to stock management and maintenance.
To that end, my Department and local authorities are working to transition from a largely response and voids-based approach to housing stock management and maintenance, to a planned maintenance approach as referenced in Housing for All, policy objective 20.6. This will require the completion of stock condition surveys by all local authorities and the subsequent development of strategic and informed work programmes in response.
My Department will continue to support local authorities in their work in remediating Voids. The 2023 Programme will provide funding of €31 million to Local Authorities to support the refurbishment and re-letting of a minimum of 2,300 vacant homes, and continue the transition from a reactive Voids approach to stock management, to a Planned Maintenance approach.
