Tipperary County Council officials will today have discussions with the Minister for Local Government and Planning on dereliction and bringing vacant properties back into use.
Minister Kieran O’Donnell is visiting a number of locations in the Premier County today – his first port of call was the Mulcair View housing development and the town park in Newport
He will visit the URDF funded Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Energy in Nenagh this lunchtime before moving on to Roscrea which is included in the government’s Town First scheme.
Minister O’Donnell will also view the works at Liberty Square in Thurles along with the Baker Street Enhancement scheme and the Stanwix Housing project.
He outlined to Tipp FM the funding available to people to bring vacant properties back into use.
“If they do up a house that has been vacant for more than two years that was built prior to 1993 they can get €30,000 of a grant. That can be increased to €50,000 if its deemed to be derelict.
“From the 1st of May this year that will now be extended to rental properties as well. We want to bring vacant units back into use in terms of housing and in terms of just enhancing towns and villages in Tipperary.
Minister O’Donnell is also urging Tipperary County Council to purchase any rental properties that come on the market.
With the eviction ban coming to an end at midnight at least 117 people are facing into having to secure somewhere else to live in the coming weeks and months.
He said Tipperary County Council has the governments backing to buy rental properties.
“We want them to purchase houses where people are on HAP or on RAS – they are tenants in situ. The whole objective here is to keep people in their homes so if it arises that anyone at the moment has got an eviction notice go to Tipperary County Council. The expertise and the people are there to assist them.
“There was a meeting with all of the Directors of Housing nationally on Wednesday to go through the various projects in depth – its all about keeping people in their homes.
