Just 25 homes were seized by Dublin City Council in the last five years despite the decade-long housing crisis in the capital.
There are 62 derelict sites listed on Dublin City Council's register. For a site to be categorised as derelict, as oppose to vacant, it must be in a state of dilapidation and assessed by the Council.
The new figures come as Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien announced a €150 million nationwide fund that will be made available to local authorities to purchase derelict buildings in towns and cities. The housing crisis shows no signs of improving as there were 96 deaths related to homelessness recorded in Dublin last year.
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There were just two properties seized by the Council in 2020 and 2021 through the Compulsory Purchase Order mechanism, which Dublin Live understands was down to the Covid-19 slowdown of the courts. The figure jumped up to 11 in 2022.
There was also zero euro paid out by way of compensation in 2019 and 2021. The number of properties seized by DCC under Compulsory Purchase Order over the last five years and the amount paid in compensation are outlined in the graph below:
The figures were released to Green Party Councillor Janet Horner in a response to a query to the Council CEO. The response notes that all acquired properties were added to the social housing stock and adds that none were sold.
Cllr Horner told Dublin Live: "The numbers of CPOs are really quite low for derelict sites in the city. There are a huge number of derelict sites in the city and it would be great see a lot of those coming through, whether it be the CPO process or another process, and ideally used for housing.
"Between derelict sites and vacant sites, you can see so much wasted potential around the city."
A source familiar with DCC's CPO process said the number of derelict properties was "significant" given the legal complications associated with the mechanism. They said: "It is a slow process.
"You have to contact the owners. Sometimes they are in hospital, sometimes they are gone away and sometimes there are all sorts of judgements on the property.
"There can be all kinds of issues. You have to get approval from An Bord Pleanala. If there is no opposition from the owners, then it can go fairly quickly but if there is one can get into trouble."
After the properties are purchased via CPO, the Council must restore them to a liveable standard which can take up to 12 months.
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