Laois didn't levy any derelict sites in 2020 latest figures reveal

The latest available figures reveal Laois neither levied any sites or received any funds under the Derelict Sites Act in 2020. 

The council was one of 14 of Ireland’s 31 local authorities not to levy any sites during 2020. In the midlands, only Westmeath issued levies on sites  that year and of the €370,500 levied, just €6,502 was received.

The information was revealed in response to a parliamentary question by Deputy Thomas Gould. He asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the potential revenue in 2021, by local authority, of sites on the derelict sites register.

In response, Minister of State at the Department of Housing Peter Burke said: “Local Authorities are required to submit an annual return to my Department providing information on the operation of the Derelict Sites Act 1990 in their functional areas. The derelict sites returns are collected in Q2 of the following year.”

He provided the most recent available returns from local authorities, which related to the year 2020. The information revealed Laois, Offaly and Longford had not levied any sites. 

Nationally, levies totaling €5,448,642 were issued but less than a tenth of that sum was collected, amounting to €378,765 in total.