Minister for Housing and Planning, Jan O’Sullivan, TD, has allocated €15m in funding to bring back into use approximately 1000 vacant local authority units.

The funding is part of a year-long campaign driven by Minister O’Sullivan that will see €30m invested and 2,000 vacant houses returned to beneficial use.

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The investment will create and sustain hundreds of jobs in the construction sector.  In framing proposals local authorities were encouraged to examine the role that community based organisations who recruit, train and engage long-term unemployed people can play in the refurbishment programme.

According to Minister O’Sullivan, “I am determined to use every lever available to me to increase the number of social homes.  One of the biggest scandals of recent years has been the high number of vacant, boarded up local authority homes.  Today’s allocations will refurbish approximately 1,000 of these units and transform them into family homes.  It brings to €30m the amount invested in this important programme this year.  This investment will see 2,000 homes coming on stream over the coming months.”

“This is a positive programme that increases social housing supply quickly.  I expect many of the new homes refurbished under this programme to be tenanted in the coming months and I intend to issue a report on completions and tenancies of new homes at the beginning of November.  The refurbishment of boarded up houses is also a very positive development for a local community as it removes an eyesore and a space that can often become a focal point for anti-social behaviour.”