Sinn Féin brings new legislation aimed at tackling derelict sites 

There were 1,548 units on the derelict sites register in 2020, and €378,000 collected in derelict sites levies, something opposition TDs say is a fraction of the real figure. File picture: Sam Boal/ RollingNews.ie

Sinn Féin is to bring legislation to the Dáil to tackle derelict sites.

The party says although tackling derelict sites will not solve the housing crisis, it hopes the new bill will demand accountability from local authorities.

There were 1,548 units on the derelict sites register in 2020, and €378,000 collected in derelict sites levies, something opposition TDs say is a fraction of the real figure.

"There are over €12m in levies that haven't been collected and what this piece of legislation is looking to do is to make the whole situation of managing derelict sites accountable and transparent," said Sinn Féin Cork North-Central TD Thomas Gould.

"What we have at the moment are local authorities blaming the minister and the department and then we have the minister and the department and Government TDs blaming local authorities. This piece of legislation would force that the 7% excise levy is collected every year.

"This would force local authorities that if they don't collect 75% of the levies, they will have to compile a report which outlines why they haven't."

Under the new bill, the report would include what authorities plan to do to ensure levies are collected, actions on compulsory purchase orders and derelict sites.

The minister would then have to respond to these issues or answer concerns that have been highlighted by the authorities.

"The derelict sites levy came in in 1990," Mr Gould added. "Here we are now and it's still not being enforced."

Mr Gould said in Cork alone there are about €3.5m in derelict sites levies that haven't been collected.

Sinn Féin hopes the bill will receive cross-party support, including from the Government.

"Let's see will they support this. We're not looking to make this party political. If the Government will take this on, we will work with it and work with the minister because what we're trying to look for are solutions."

The Government does not know how many vacant homes there are across Ireland.

Despite each local authority preparing an action plan to tackle housing vacancy, the Department of Housing does not "hold data on the amount of derelict housing units in the State".

The GeoView directory Q4 2020 report, which lists addresses in the State using data from An Post, found 92,251 vacant addresses in Ireland, representing 4.6% of all building stock.