‘You’ve been getting away with it’: Housing Minister declares ‘war on dereliction’

Housing Minister James Browne has said the Government is declaring a “war on dereliction” with a new tax operated by the Revenue Commissioners.

Minister of State John Cummins said they had tried various schemes as the “carrot” approach, but this tax represented the “stick”.

A new Derelict Property Tax was announced as part of Budget 2026 to replace the Derelict Sites Levy.

It is not expected to go lower than the levy’s rate of 7% of the site market value and legislation to underpin it is to be brought forward next year.

Those who do not pay the tax will be listed on Revenue’s tax defaulters.

Mr Browne said officials do not know the exact level of dereliction in Ireland other than what they see and hear anecdotally.

“My view is dereliction is anti-social behaviour, I think it damages our society in many different ways,” he said on Tuesday.

Asked about local authorities’ handling of the dereliction levy, he said: “I think the local authorities have quite an extensive remit of what they have to do.

“Some have them have handled it much better than others, but I think, you know, the only way to really address dereliction in this country now is through using the Revenue measure, the tax measure, and really, I think hammering that we are declaring a war on dereliction in this country.

“I mean, it’s totally unacceptable that we would have properties in towns, in cities. You have water, you have electrical connections, you have roads, the street lights paid by taxpayers, and people are leaving them there.”

He said although some “personal situations” might lead to dereliction, there is an issue with people leaving their property to increase its value.

“We can all see it as we walk down the streets, even in Dublin city centre, you can see dereliction in every provincial town, and people are desperate for those properties.

“So what we want to do is get to a situation where people feel so uncomfortable that they will release those properties to those people who will use it, be it an individual or developer, whatever the case would be.

“The writ certainly won’t be less than 7% and if we feel it needs to increase, that will be a matter for (the finance minister), we will discuss that at the time.

“But what I would be saying to people who have derelict properties: you’ve been getting away with it up to now, some of them, wrongly.

“But we’re going after every derelict property.”

Mr Cummins said that in previous years, schemes such as the vacant property refurbishment grant had been offered to help bring derelict sites back into use.

“That was the carrot. We’re now coming with a stick,” he said.

“It’s unacceptable, as Minister Browne said, for there to be vacant and derelict properties in this country. And we are going after it. We are serious about tackling it.

“The rate will be set at least 7% and, you know, the local authorities will have a role to play next year in identifying all of those derelict properties that are across the country, and it’ll obviously be levied thereafter.

“The message is clear: use the carrot; use the items that are there to support in bringing those properties back into use, and if you don’t, the stick is coming with the tax.”

On the Government’s new housing plan, Mr Browne said it will go to the Cabinet’s housing committee in the next week and will be finalised afterwards, meaning it is expected “within the next three weeks”.