- Report finds over 6,000 vacant dwellings in Galway, plus 1,946 derelict dwellings – many times official number from Councils
- PBP call for bringing vacant and derelict sites into public ownership to develop as housing
People Before Profit Galway representative Adrian Curran has reiterated the party’s demand that vacant and derelict sites should be taken into public ownership to be developed as public housing. This call comes in light of the Residential Buildings Report published by property data firm Geodirectory, who estimate that there are over 6,000 vacant dwellings in Galway city and county. Their report further finds that there are 1,946 derelict dwellings in the city and county – the third highest number in the state, and far above the numbers listed in the derelict sites registers compiled by Galway’s local authorities.
Adrian Curran said:
“Geodirectory’s Residential Buildings report published last week makes the grim nature of the housing situation in Galway clear.
There are over 6,000 vacant dwellings in Galway City and county, 40% higher than the state average. On top of this, there are also 1,946 dwellings deemed derelict.”
“There are 290 people officially listed as homeless in Galway city and county according to figures provided by the Department of Housing earlier in January. Bringing the over 6,000 vacant residential properties identified in this report back into use is the quickest and most environmentally friendly way of taking people out of official and hidden homelessness.”
“According to information provided by the Minister for Local Government and Planning in response to a parliamentary question last week, a mere 16 derelict sites were listed on Galway City Council’s official derelict sites register at the end of 2020. Only one site was listed on the Galway County Council register in the same period. This is less than 1% of the derelict buildings in Co. Galway identified by this report. Given Galway County Council was one of thirteen local authorities which did not seek to impose any Derelict Site Levy in 2020, and Galway City Council collected just €21,000, less than 10% of what was imposed, the same year, there is clearly far too much leeway given to owners who leave their properties vacant or let them fall into dereliction. There’s no pressure on owners to provide these properties as homes or community facilities.”
“People Before Profit demands that councils consistently add properties to their derelict sites registers and enforce the Derelict Site Levy. They should issue Compulsory Purchase Orders to retain and restore long-term vacant properties, and then use them to provide community facilities or public housing with rents linked to income rather than selling these sites on, only for them to be priced at market rates and hoarded by private developers. With dereliction so inexcusably high in the city and across the county. Galway City and County Councils must change course now to resist the commodification of our housing stock.”
“Returning vacant and derelict homes to use by families and communities will greatly help in tackling the affordability and supply issues that lead to homelessness or people living in unaffordable or unsuitable accommodation.”