THE HOUSING MINISTER has declared “war on dereliction” as government figures show 13 local authorities didn’t acquire any sites through the compulsory purchase order (CPO) process last year.

In April 2023, the government launched the CPO Activation Programme which provides a “systematic and proactive approach by local authorities to bringing vacant and derelict properties into use”.

Each local authority is given a target for the number of vacant and derelict properties to enter the CPO Activation Programme and for the number of compulsory acquisitions to be undertaken.

It includes the use of 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.

But last year, 13 local authorities didn’t acquire any derelict sites under these acts.

This includes Cavan, Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim, Louth, Roscommon, Tipperary, Westmeath, and Wicklow County Councils.

Other local authorities that failed to acquire a derelict site last year are Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown City Council, Galway City and County Councils and South Dublin County Council.

Nationwide, 136 derelict properties were acquired, with Limerick City and County Council leading the way on 26.

This is up on figures from 2023, when 120 derelict sites were compulsorily acquired.

Meanwhile, a compulsory purchase is said to have commenced when a local authority serves notice on the owner of the intention to CPO a property.

Eight local authorities failed to commence a CPO.

The local authorities include Cavan, Donegal, Galway, Louth, Tipperary and Westmeath County Councils, as well as Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown City Council and South Dublin County Council.

Nationwide, some 168 CPOs commenced last year.

Again, Limerick City and County Council leads the way with 21 CPO commencements.

The commencement figures for last year, 168, is down considerably when compared to the 228 figure in 2023.

However, as the CPO Activation Programme launched in 2023, local authorities were advised that compulsory acquisitions which were ongoing and had commenced prior to 2023 could be included in the figures as a “once-off”.

Housing Minister James Browne will today bring a memo to Cabinet calling for a “laser-focus on dereliction and vacancy levels” when it comes to CPOs at local council level.

He has said dereliction is “unacceptable in a housing crisis” and is understood to have “declared war on dereliction”.

Browne will reaffirm the Government’s commitment to maximising the use of existing housing stock, including through the use of CPO where necessary.

He has also likened dereliction to a “form of anti-social behaviour” and will fire a “warning shot for people sitting on properties and not bring them back into use”.

Browne also noted that the reuse of vacant and derelict properties provides much needed housing.

Elsewhere, the Department has noted that full-time dedicated Vacant Homes Officers are now in place in all 31 local authorities.

It also pointed to the “high level of uptake” of the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant, which offers funding to refurbish a vacant or derelict home.

As of the end of September, over 11,000 applications were approved and over 3,600 grants paid to applicants, amounting to over €200 million issued in grant funding.