1965. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of properties entered on Derelict Sites Registers nationally at year end in each year from 2021 to 2026, broken down by local authority; the number in respect of which compulsory purchase procedures were initiated; the number ultimately acquired by local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64120/26]

1966. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total value of the derelict sites levies invoiced by local authorities in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; the amount collected in each period; the amount outstanding, by local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64121/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1965 and 1966 together.

Working to end vacancy and dereliction is a key priority in the Government's new housing plan, Delivering Homes, Building Communities. The Plan aims to 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 vacancy and dereliction to an end.

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. Sites entered on the Derelict Sites Register are subject to an annual derelict sites levy of 7% of market value which will continue to apply until the site is rendered non-derelict.

The placing of sites on Derelict Sites Registers 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 some variation in the number of sites being formally placed on the Register across local authorities.

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. The derelict sites returns are collected in Quarter 2 of the following year. My Department is currently engaged in the process of finalising the 2025 returns and this data will be published in the coming weeks.

The number of properties entered on derelict sites registers, derelict sites acquired compulsorily, value of the derelict sites levies invoiced, amount collected and amount outstanding can be accessed in the attached derelict sites statistical returns for 2021 to 2023, broken down per local authority. Data for 2024 can be accessed here [Annual Returns for 2024 received from local authorities under the Derelict Sites Act 1990]

(www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/annual-returns-for-2024-received-from-local-authorities-under-the-derelict-sites-act-1990/).

The Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) Activation Programme, launched in 2023, requires local authorities to take a proactive, systematic approach to identifying and activating vacant and derelict properties.

Local authorities are identifying vacant and derelict properties and engaging with owners to bring these properties back into use using the wide range of schemes now in place. This includes using their compulsory purchase powers under the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and the Housing Act 1966, when engagement with the owners of these properties is not successful in bringing them back into use. My Department published data for 2023, 2024 and 2025 on the CPO Activation Programme on its website, which include number of compulsory acquisitions commenced under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) Activation Programme

(www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/publications/compulsory-purchase-orders-cpo-activation-programme/)

While local authorities vary in their willingness to use compulsory purchase powers, my Department is working to support local authorities to strengthen their activation response to vacancy and dereliction, including the use of their legislative powers.

I firmly believe the commitment Government has made to addressing vacancy and dereliction and the actions under Delivering Homes, Building Communities will continue to play a vital role in delivering homes across the country.

2021-2023 Derelict Sites