Kerry County Council has spent just over 2% of the funding it was allocated in 2023 to acquire long-term vacant or derelict properties.
Figures from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage show that local authorities around the country have acquired just 47 properties from funding of €150 million.
Kerry County Council was allocated €2.5 million in the third quarter of 2023 under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund; to date, it has spent just €60,000 of that.
The third round of the URDF scheme, announced in July 2023, provided a €150 million fund for local authorities to acquire long-term vacant or derelict properties in towns and cities.
The local authority then puts the acquired properties for private sale at market value, with a commitment from the buyer to bring the property back into residential use.
Kerry County Council received an allocation of €2.5 million, and €500,000 of this was up front, but to date it’s spent just €60,000 of this.
Nationally, almost 1,300 specific properties were approved by the Department for acquisition, but just 47 have been acquired so far.
A number of properties are in the process of being acquired by CPO or agreement, while others have been brought back into use or sold, and some were dealt with by other schemes.
The Department says the total funding spent includes costs for estimated properties undergoing acquisition by CPO, and this will increase when the CPO processes are complete and final compensation amounts agreed.
Kerry County Council has lodged applications with An Bórd Pleanála to CPO three derelict properties under the Derelict Sites Act; two in Tralee, and one in Castleisland.
Decisions are due on those cases in mid-July.
