Dublin allocated almost €4m in funding to turn vacant units into homes – Byrne

Fine Gael Dublin South Central TD, Catherine Byrne, has today (Tuesday) said that Dublin City Council is to be allocated almost €4 million in Government funding to turn 236 vacant units across the city into homes. The Minister for Housing, Jan O’Sullivan TD, has announced that €15 million has been allocated nationally to bring 1,008 vacant local authority units into use.

“For a long time now I have been calling for the Dublin City Council’s vacant units to be refurbished and put back into use. With increasing demands for social housing, it is really important that we make sure all local authority units are fit for purpose. In recent years a high number of local authority homes in Dublin have been left vacant and boarded up, which is a complete waste.

“The Government is allocating €3,963,000 to Dublin City Council, which will allow work to be carried out on 236 vacant properties, so they can be brought back into use. This is the highest allocation of funds for this purpose in the country, reflecting the housing needs of our large population in Dublin city. Funding will be allocated separately to county Dublin.

“So far this year, €30 million has been invested nationally on the refurbishment of vacant local authority houses. This programme will increase our social housing supply quickly and I look forward to the 236 units in Dublin City being completed within a year.

“The refurbishment of boarded up houses is also a very positive development for a local communities as it removes eyesores and those spaces that can often become a focal point for anti-social behaviour.”