Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 October 2025
332. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Finance the number of properties made available to the housing market through the 'over the shop' premises relief in each of the years and in each county, since the beginning of the relief, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55172/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra333. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Finance the number of housing units that have been realised from July 2022 to date from projects that received taxation relief under the Living City Initiative in the cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny and Waterford, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55524/25]
Amharc ar fhreagra334. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Finance to detail any evaluation reports on the Living City Initiative or any review of the Living City Initiative undertaken by his Department or by any of the local authorities administering the Initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55526/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 332, 333 and 334 together.
I am advised that Deputy Hearne's question relates to the Living City Initiative (LCI) rather that the 'over the shop' premises relief.
The LCI is a targeted measure which is aimed at very specific areas in urgent need of regeneration, it is provided for under sections 372AAA to 372AAD of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. It currently offers income or corporation tax relief for qualifying expenditure incurred in the refurbishment and conversion of qualifying residential and commercial buildings located within ‘Special Regeneration Areas' (SRAs) of the cities of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny, Limerick and Waterford.
I am advised by Revenue that it is not possible to identify from the Income Tax and Corporation Tax tax returns the number of properties made available to the housing market through the LCI as requested by the Deputies (by county, city or otherwise).
I am further advised by Revenue that information in relation to the LCI can be found in the cost of tax expenditure report on the Revenue website at:
https://www.revenue.ie/en/corporate/documents/statistics/tax-expenditures/costs-tax-expenditures.pdf
Details of this information are set out below:
|
Year |
No. of Claims |
Cost of Relief (€m) |
|
2022 |
89 |
1.1 |
|
2021 |
65 |
0.5 |
|
2020 |
59 |
0.4 |
|
2019 |
60 |
0.5 |
|
2018 |
29 |
0.2 |
|
2017 |
23 |
0.2 |
|
2016 |
15 |
0.2 |
|
2015 |
13 |
0.2 |
|
2014 |
<10 |
0.1 |
|
2013 |
<10 |
0 |
|
2012 |
<10 |
0 |
|
2011 |
<10 |
0 |
|
Total |
c. 400 |
3.4 |
In relation to evaluations of the LCI by my Department, the following sets out the position.
An ex-ante evaluation of the LCI pilot was undertaken by independent consultants, Indecon, in 2013 before the LCI was officially implemented.
My Department reviewed the scheme in 2016 in consultation with the relevant Local Authorities and the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
The LCI was also reviewed by my Department as part of the Tax Strategy Group processes in 2022 and 2023.
Finally, any evaluations carried out by Local Authorities, are matters appropriate to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, and are not directly within the responsibility of the Minister for Finance.
