Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 February 2026
729. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the measures he is taking to address vacancy and dereliction in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10322/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraWorking to end dereliction and vacancy is a key priority in the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan will ensure that the activities and resources used to address vacancy and dereliction are co-ordinated and that legislative powers are used proactively to work to bring dereliction and vacancy to an end.
The range of initiatives and funding mechanisms introduced in recent years are set out in the Vacant Homes Action Plan and they are successfully reducing the levels of vacancy and dereliction right across the country, including County Kerry.
A key measure is the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, introduced in July 2022. The grant provides up to €70,000 for the refurbishment of vacant and derelict properties for occupation as a principal private residence and for properties which will be made available for rent. To end of Q4 2025 in Kerry County Council, 675 applications for the the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant have been received, with 441 approvals and 121 grants paid with a total value of over €6.7 million.
In December, I announced a new enhanced support package of up to €140,000 to bring vacant ‘above shop’ space in our cities, towns and villages into use as homes, which will be made available by end Q1 this year. I have also announced that additional funding for resources of up to €100,000 per annum would be made available to local authorities to support their delivery of the grant.
The CPO Activation Programme, launched in 2023, requires local authorities to take a proactive, systematic approach to identifying and activating vacant and derelict properties. It includes use of their compulsory purchase powers under the Derelict Sites Act and the Housing Act, when engagement with the owners of these properties is not successful in bringing them back into use.
In October 2025, my Department published data for 2023 and 2024 on the CPO Activation Programme on its website, which can be accessed at the following link: Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) Activation Programme (assets.gov.ie/static/documents/bdfef028/CPO_Activation_Programme_-_LA_use_of_CPO_powers.pdf). Under Delivering Homes, Building Communities, data on the CPO Activation Programme will be published annually on local authorities’ achievements in progress and delivery.
All 31 local authorities have a full-time Vacant Homes Officer in place as a key point of contact in their Vacant Homes Office teams. My Department provides annual funding to each local authority to reinforce their capacity to ensure a dedicated focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction. Vacant Homes Officers are supported in their role by the Vacant Homes Unit in my Department, the Housing Agency and through the Vacant Homes Officer Network.
Another focus is the active and timely use of the Derelict Sites Act, increasing the number of properties on the Derelict Sites Register and increasing and enforcing the collection of levies. As of 31 December 2024, Kerry County Council have 39 sites on their Derelict Sites Register.
Delivering Homes, Building Communities reinforces and expands the range of measures being implemented by Government to work to end dereliction and long term vacancy.
As well as the new Vacant Above the Shop Grant and other measures, a new Derelict Property Tax will be introduced - to be administered and collected by the Revenue Commissioners - to bring derelict properties back into use.
I firmly believe the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions under Delivering Homes, Building Communities will play a vital role in delivering homes across the country, including County Kerry.
