Council action on vacant houses

Deputy Jackie Cahill and Deputy Michael Lowry last week welcomed that the Department of Housing has, in 2020, brought 131 vacant houses in Tipperary back into productive use within the social housing stock.

Under Fianna Fáil Minster Darragh O’Brien in Housing, the 2020 Voids Programme represents the highest ever yearly spend and highest number of homes to be refurbished and put back into use as social housing. These very welcome figures are also on top of news that the Department of Housing last year increased funding to Tipperary County Council for housing allocations in Tipperary, with the local authority on track to have no long-term vacancies of social houses in the county by the end of 2021.

Commenting on this, Deputy Cahill said: “Seriously tackling the housing crisis is one of the absolute top priorities of Fianna Fáil in government. Minister O’Brien has been performing exceptionally well in his role to date, and today’s news that 131 vacant homes in Tipperary were brought back into use in 2020 is further proof of this.

“I am regularly contacted by constituents who are disappointed that vacant properties in our county’s towns and villages remain derelict and unused while local people wait on housing lists. The 2020 Void Programme, which saw the highest annual spend and highest number of houses being brought back on stream, is proof that Fianna Fáil in government are serious about tackling this issue.”

The Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary continued to say: “This announcement is on top of the fact that last year, Tipperary County Council spent €4.1 million on carrying out major works on 90 premises in the county so that they can be reintroduced into the social housing stock. To date, a number of these properties have already been completed and are now occupied. Last year also saw the Department of Housing increase funding to our local authority for increased housing allocations in Tipperary. I understand that the local authority is now on track to having no long-term vacancies of social housing units in the county by the end of 2021 and this would make Tipperary one of the first in the country to achieve this. Yet another achievement locally.”

“Seeing vacant and derelict houses in our towns and villages is extremely frustrating for many people around the county, myself included. I am delighted to be able to confirm that this issue is being tackled as Fianna Fáil in government works to increase our national housing stock and seriously tackle the housing crisis”, Cahill concluded.

Deputy Lowry said the refurbishment of the 131 vacant houses cost €1,737,503 with funding provided to Tipperary County Council by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. “Despite the shutdown in construction activity in the first half of last year, which had a big impact on the delivery of new build social housing, work on the refurbishment of social housing exceeded the targets for the 2020," Deputy Lowry stated.

“This is largely due to the Government decision in the July Stimulus Package to make up for lost ground by allocating €40m for the refurbishment of social housing stock which was otherwise vacant.

“This also had the increased benefit of creating employment for tradesmen such as builders, electricians, plumbers and painters,” Deputy Lowry stated.