Derelict Sites

Tuesday, 28 April 2026

Ceisteanna (720, 721)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

720. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when the derelict sites levy data will be published for 2025. [30537/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

721. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount waived in the derelict sites levies in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [30538/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 720 and 721 together.

The Derelict Sites Act 1990 imposes a general duty on every owner and occupier of land to take all reasonable steps to ensure that land does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site as defined in the Act. The Act also imposes a duty on local authorities to take all reasonable steps, including the exercise of appropriate statutory powers, to ensure that any land within their functional area does not become, or continue to be, a derelict site.

Each local authority maintains a Derelict Sites Register under section 8 of the Act for sites which they consider are derelict under the Act. Sites entered on the Derelict Sites Register are subject to an annual Derelict Sites Levy of 7% of the market value of the property which will continue to apply until the site is rendered non-derelict.

Local Authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in their functional areas and this is undertaken in Quarter 2 of following year. Information in relation to levies waived is not included in the information submitted.

The placing of sites on the Derelict Sites Register and the collecting of levies on those sites is part of the overall process that Local Authorities undertake with the owners of derelict sites they identify. Local Authorities will engage directly with site owners in the early stages of the use of the Derelict Sites Act before the site is formally listed on the Register. This direct engagement can often lead to resolution of the dereliction issues by agreement between the Local Authority and the landowner involved, which can lead to significant variation in the number of sites being formally placed on the Register across local authorities. Local Authorities have been provided with additional resources, including Town Regeneration Officers and Vacant Homes Officers, in order to enable an increased focus on tackling vacancy and dereliction issues.

The circumstances under the Act where the derelict sites levy may be waived is on hardship grounds. In this regard, section 26 of the Act provides that:

'Where, in the opinion of a local authority, payment of the derelict sites levy or of interest payable under this Act at a particular time by a particular person would cause undue hardship to the person, the local authority may, by notice in writing sent by post or given to the person, suspend action or further action under this Part to secure payment of the whole or part of the amount of the levy due for such period as may be specified in the notice...'.

In line with the foregoing provision, the waiving of the derelict sites levy under section 26 of the Act is at the discretion of the local authority concerned and the Department does not have information on value of any waivers applied.

Question No. 721 answered with Question No. 720.