David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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61. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of vacant and derelict properties recorded in each local authority area for each respective year from 2019 to 2023 inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24398/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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70. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the supports and incentives he has put in place to encourage vacant properties across the State to be brought back into use; if he is satisfied with the progress being made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24386/24]

Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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82. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on the recommendations outlined in a recent report (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23626/24]

Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of grants under the vacant and derelict homes scheme that were approved in the State in the first quarter of this year; the number that were in Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23748/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to give the Minister of State an opportunity to outline the number of vacant and derelict properties that are recorded in each local authority, from 2019 to 2023, in tabular form. I am interested in whether the number of vacant and derelict properties is being recorded. Is there feedback coming to the Department on that? I also want to find out what we are doing with that information.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 61 , 70 , 82 , 89 and 190 together.

I thank the Deputy. Tackling vacancy is a key priority for this Government and pathway 4 of Housing for All sets out a blueprint to address vacancy and make effective use of our existing housing stock. The Vacant Homes Action Plan 2023-2026, which was published in January 2023, builds on pathway 4 of Housing for All. It sets out the various actions that were to be pursued to return vacant properties back into use as homes.

I recently published an update on the action plan a year on, which shows the significant progress that has been made and this is available on my Department's website. The action plan outlines the various measures of vacancy, including census data and GeoDirectory vacancy data. While varying levels of vacancy are indicated in the different data sources, the overall trend across all the measures is downwards and vacancy levels are reducing.

The vacant property refurbishment grant introduced in July 2022 under the Croí Cónaithe towns fund is a key measure in returning vacant and derelict properties into use. A grant of up to €50,000 is available for the refurbishment of vacant properties into a home or rental property with a top-up grant of €20,000 available for derelict properties. The grant is making a real impact in addressing vacancy and is making the purchase and refurbishment of these properties a more affordable option for those seeking to purchase their own home. More than 8,000 grant applications have been received to date with over 4,900 approved. Draw down of grants commenced at the end of 2023 as works started to be completed and this has steadily increased with 364 grants now paid. I expect this to significantly increase over 2024 as more refurbishment works are completed. My Department publishes data on applications for the grants on its website on a quarterly basis, which includes breakdowns by local authority.

I will arrange for the relevant web link to be circulated with the official record.

On Deputy Stanton's constituency, we have 151 approvals for Cork city and 404 for Cork county. An impressive 860 applications have now been received in total from the people of Cork.

When the Croí Cónaithe towns fund was launched, a commitment was made to undertake a comprehensive review of the schemes under it, including the vacant property refurbishment grant scheme, by mid-2024. That review is ongoing and will include an analysis of the application and grant draw-down process. I understand it is on track to be completed by mid-2024, and I expect to be able to make recommendations to the Government in due course with regard to the continuation of the grant and any changes merited.

Another key vacancy measure for local authorities is the CPO activation programme, which provides for a proactive approach by local authorities to identifying vacant properties and engaging with the property owners to return them to residential use. This may include the use of compulsory purchase powers where necessary.

Tackling vacancy under that programme is also supported through the €150 million urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. The fund supports local authorities in acquiring vacant or derelict properties for reuse and sale, using compulsory purchase powers where necessary. This is having a genuine impact, with 1,224 vacant and derelict properties in URDF areas identified and approved under the scheme. We had a great announcement on the scheme this week. The estimated yield from the properties is 5,406 homes. The fund will be replenished from the proceeds received from the sale or reuse of a site, allowing the local authority to establish a rolling programme to tackle vacancy.

I welcome the publication of the Dublin Simon Community report on over-the-shop-type spaces as it brings further attention to this important topic. In April, my Department published a revised edition of the manual Bringing Back Homes, which provides guidance on the refurbishment of many property types, including over-the-shop-type spaces. In addition, planning regulations that exempt owners of certain vacant commercial premises, including over-the-shop-type spaces, from acquiring planning permission to change those premises to residential status have been extended until 2025.

The most efficient home to deliver is one that already exists. The commitment the Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions we have taken will continue to play a vital role in revitalising local communities.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for his response and acknowledge the good work in this area. I agree with him that there is great potential to provide homes for people in buildings that already exist, which is the easiest approach.

Is there a register of vacant and derelict properties in each local authority? If so, are they publicly available? Does the Department have access to the registers? Are vacant homes officers now active in each local authority area? If so, are they working exclusively on vacant homes?

With regard to Cork County Council, which oversees the biggest county in the country, does the Minister of State accept that Cork needs more vacant homes officers than counties that are far smaller to cover the huge area involved?

Could the Minister of State clarify the position on shops? In many of our towns, former shops have been boarded up and locked up. What action is being taken to bring them back into use as residences?

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for his question and his support for the ongoing efforts to tackle vacancy and dereliction in his constituency. On his question on vacant homes officers, all 31 local authorities now have a full-time vacancy officer in place, fulfilling one of the Housing for All commitments. Each local authority receives an annual fund of up to €60,000 to support the work of the vacant homes officers. That was an important step forward in addressing each of the issues within local authorities.

A derelict and vacant sites register is in the ownership of each local authority. I am sure that if the Deputy engages with the director of services or county manager in each local authority, he will see that he or she manages the sites at local level, not through the Department.

With regard to the Croí Cónaithe towns fund and the revised manual related to supports available to property owners, there has been substantial work on the range of schemes and supports now in place. These include the vacant property refurbishment grant, the repair-and-lease scheme, the living city initiative, the historic buildings grant scheme, the SEAI supports, thatch grants and planning exemptions. There are so many schemes now available that it can be difficult for some owners to activate one at times.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State commented that local authorities have access to a register of vacant and derelict properties. Is it being made available to his Department? In other words, is the Department being copied with the information regularly? I understand there is an ongoing process. If the Department is being copied, will the Minister of State make the information available to Deputies? How many vacant properties have been identified? My guess is that very many more could be identified and put on registers. I am told there are 100 vacant properties in Youghal alone. I am anxious to ensure that they are brought back into use.

County Cork needs more than one vacant homes officer. It needs perhaps three, four or five people working on the problem full-time, such is its scale.

What kind of liaison is there between the Department, local authorities and the Revenue Commissioners regarding the tax on vacant properties to ensure that those properties are identified and tax is collected?

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Minister of State mentioned that the tackling of vacancy and dereliction is a priority or something the Department was going to address. Let me mention some of the figures that came out recently. There are 1,913 buildings on the derelict sites register, and there is €20 million outstanding in uncollected levies, almost €5 million of which relates to Cork. Local authorities are not doing their job. The Minister of State and his Department, led by the Minister, are not doing their job to ensure local authorities put derelict buildings on the derelict sites register and then impose a levy on them.

The Minister of State touched on CPOs. Only 82 properties were subject to a CPO last year. Thirteen local authorities have had no levy. These are not my figures; these are the actual figures.

Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputies. On Deputy Stanton's question on Youghal, my Department and the local authority are engaging to take action. We hope to have something back to the local authority in that regard.

On the derelict sites register, local authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operations in their functional areas. As of December 2023, there were 1,913 properties on the register nationally. We need to continue to have vacant and derelict sites registered within each local authority area.

On the important work done by vacant homes officers, it is important that the Department continue to engage with local authorities on resourcing needs to support the activation of vacant and derelict properties. That is really important. The €150 million URDF announced this week will reactivate many properties that are currently vacant or derelict. It is seen as another lever the Government is using to tackle the scourge in towns and cities.