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The Journal
6 days ago
- General
- The Journal
Here are the vacant and derelict buildings around Ireland that councils asked ABP to CPO in May
BOARDED-UP HOUSES and crumbling buildings are a common feature of towns and cities across Ireland. Derelict buildings contribute significantly to Ireland's housing crisis, and bringing them back into use is one of the Government's aims for addressing social housing shortfalls and to get more homes on the market. Under laws introduced in 1990, every local council keeps a Derelict Sites Register to encourage owners to bring vacant houses and land into use through the imposition of an annual levy of 7% of the property's market value, which applies until the site is no longer derelict. When someone objects to a local authority's attempt to obtain a property via the Compulsory Purchase Order process, the council can make an application to An Bord Pleanála to do so. The Housing Act also allows local authorities to acquire vacant homes via CPO, which they also must apply to do via An Bord Pleanála. The process is similar to making a planning application, and the board weighs up submissions from the council and the owner of the land before deciding whether a site can be subject to a CPO. The number of properties that councils try to CPO every month is relatively small. The Journal has been keeping track of the vacant and derelict properties that councils have sought to acquire, and previously wrote about how four local authorities applied to the board to CPO six different properties in April. Last month, three local authorities applied to the board to CPO three different properties around Ireland. 21 Keating Street, Dungarvan (Waterford) The front of Holly Tree House in 2009 Google Street View Google Street View Waterford City and County Council applied to have a derelict site, known as Holly Tree House on Keating Street in Dungarvan, vested on 23 May. The slender terraced house was last photographed on Google Street View in 2009, when it had a large tree in its front garden (possibly indicating where its name comes from). Advertisement There is little other information available about it online: no planning files are associated with the address (aside from attempts to CPO it) and it does not appear to have ever been listed for sale online. The case is due to be decided by An Bord Pleanála by 1 September. 83 Eastham Court, Bettystown (Meath) Google Street View Google Street View Meath County Council applied to acquire a vacant property at Eastham Court in Bettystown under the Housing Act on 8 May. The property, situated between two other houses, appears to be in good condition but does not have any occupiers or tenants known to the council . It is part of an estate that was built in the early 2000s. It has never been listed as sold on the Property Price Register and there are no planning applications associated with the property. The council issued a newspaper notice at the end of April, saying that it wanted to CPO the house and use it for social housing. An Bord Pleanála is due to decide the case by the end of October. Millbrook, Rathangan (Kildare) Google Street View Google Street View Kildare County Council applied to acquire a vacant property at Millbrook in Rathangan under the Housing Act on 26 May. The small cottage was deemed by the council in April to be 'unfit for human habitation' and incapable of being rendered fit for use at a 'reasonable expense'. The council also said at the time that any owners, occupiers or lessors of the property are not known. A planning application submitted in 2008, which was granted permission the following year, proposed demolishing the cottage and replacing it with a three-bedroom dormer and a four-bedroom bungalow on the site. The council's intended use for the property is not stated; however, under a renewal plan for Rathangan published last October , the local authority said it would seek to bring vacant buildings into use as housing and tourist accommodation, and incentivise the re-use of vacant buildings. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Personal information protection, new authority for real estate dispute
The Korea Herald republishes a weekly legislative report by local law firm DR & AJU LLC to provide the latest information on bills approved, proposed, pending and set to be promulgated. — Ed. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Personal Information Protection Act Proposed by Rep. Lee Jung-mun (Democratic Party of Korea) ● In the event of a leak of sensitive or personally identifiable information, this amendment requires personal information controllers to monitor the illegal distribution of the leaked data for two years and report the findings to the Personal Information Protection Commission. Proposed Bill: Partial Amendment to the Act on the Improvement of Urban Areas and Residential Environments Proposed by Rep. Maeng Sung-kyu (Democratic Party of Korea) ● This amendment consolidates the currently fragmented construction and real estate-related dispute mediation bodies into a single Integrated Construction and Real Estate Dispute Mediation Committee under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which will serve as the central coordinating authority for such disputes. Pending Bill: Partial Amendment to the Housing Act Proposed by Rep. Han Jeoung-ae (Democratic Party of Korea) ● This amendment replaces the legal term 'industrialized housing,' which refers to housing built using modular construction techniques, with 'prefabricated housing,' and provides regulatory incentives for such housing by easing restrictions on the building coverage ratio and floor area ratios. Promulgated Bill: Enforcement Decree of the Occupational Safety and Health Act Competent Authority: Ministry of Employment and Labor ● This bill requires business owners to report the dismissal of safety and health managers or occupational medicine doctors to the relevant regional employment and labor office. Competent Authority: Financial Services Commission —
Times
16-05-2025
- Times
Can a landlord enter a property without permission?
Q. My daughter lives alone in a rental property. Her landlord often lets himself in, saying he has the right to carry out inspections. Can he do this? If so, what limits are there on these inspections? A. Tenancy agreements include express or implied rights for tenants to have 'quiet possession' of their rental properties. This means they enjoy a right to exclusive possession, and they can stop anyone (including their landlords) from going in without permission. Landlords who enter without consent may be committing offences under section 1 of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 or the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. They also face substantial damages claims for breach of the covenant or under section 14 of the Housing Act 1988. • My
Irish Independent
05-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
The government is reneging on many undertakings given to the trade union movement says leading Sligo trade unionist
Pat Fallon, President of the Sligo-Leitrim Council of Trade Unions made the remarks when he addressed those attending Sligo's annual May Day ceremony in New Street on Thursday evening May 1st. 'There has been a reversal on introducing the living wage, paid sick leave entitlements, increasing the minimum annual remuneration for employment permits and automatic enrolment for pensions. 'All of these measures which the government agreed to, have now been deferred. 'This is not acceptable to unions and workers. When will those initiatives be delivered on? The Government will say that global trading uncertainty means we must pause the measures. 'An ERSI report has shown that in 2023 nationally advertised online jobs at the minimum rate of pay accounted for 7% which rose to 15% in 2024, and in Sligo the figure was an average of 19% showing a worrying trend towards low paid jobs. 'Denying a worker an adequate living wage will hardly solve the global economic turmoil. 'Today, low-paid workers are faced with a cost-of-living crisis and falling living standards. Workers have never worked so hard and never struggled so much. 'The government's housing policies have resulted in ordinary workers and families being priced out of the market. 'The number of minimum wage jobs advertised last year was double what it was in 2023. What hope does a young couple working for minimum wage have of ever owning their own home. 'Organising more workers through trade unions is now very necessary if we are to change this trend and improve living standards for working people,' he said. Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr Declan Bree, who also spoke said: 'Access to secure, affordable housing is a deep and abiding concern of the trade union movement. It was the squalor of the slums in Dublin and other urban areas including Sligo, in the early years of the 20th century that provided much of the motivational force for the establishment of the modern trade union movement. 'For the trade union and labour movement, the need for decent housing remains wholly indivisible from the need for decent pay and decent work. 'When I was first elected to local government, Councils delivered almost 9,000 new homes – which was a third of all housing delivered in Ireland that year. 'However, over the years Government funding for the construction of council housing was reduced and the role of private developers expanded. The 2008 banking crash accelerated the shift to 'for profit' developers 'Due to the ongoing development of neo liberal policies and the view that the private sector, was much better at delivering all aspects of the economy, funding for public council housing was slashed. 'The 2009 Housing Act in essence stripped local authorities of much responsibility for the provision of public housing, instead limiting them to support for such housing. 'By 2015, the output of Council housing had fallen drastically with just 75 houses being built nationwide - and as the numbers collapsed, housing waiting lists surged and they have continued to rise year after year. 'The reason we have a housing crisis today is that successive Governments handed housing delivery over to the market - to private developers, speculators and to investor funds. 'It must also be pointed out that the abject failure of government to provide adequate housing and a proper health system has provided fertile grounds for far right elements to stoke racial hatred. 'Hate, lies and racism are not going to build us houses or provide better health services. 'The far-right are playing on people's fears to shift the blame for these longstanding issues onto migrants, and that is absolutely wrong. 'The trade union movement has achieved a lot for workers over the last 100 years but there is still much to do to achieve real economic and social equality in Ireland. 'We now need to see an all-Ireland programme to end homelessness and to build state-funded public housing in addition to the Right to Housing being enshrined in our Constitution.' he said. Denise Curran of the Mandate Trade Union presided at the event and floral tributes were laid on behalf of the trade union movement by Mr Tony Conlon of the Forsa Trade Union and by Ms Brenda Barr on behalf of the Connolly Forum.
STV News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- STV News
Elderly man's ramp request denied despite fall that left him on ground for hours
An elderly man's request for a ramp was rejected because he lives in a park home despite a fall that left him lying on the ground for hours. James Sneddon, who lives in Glendevon Residential Park, in Perthshire, spent two hours on the ground before his neighbour Greg helped him. 'Sometimes when I go down and lose my balance, I go right down and I can't get back up, Greg comes and picks me up,' the 82-year-old told STV News. 'It's the same when I came back on a Saturday with my messages with my wife.' Mr Sneddon requested a ramp from the Perth and Kinross Council but has been told under the Housing Act he doesn't qualify for support to adapt his home. STV News James Sneddon, who lives in Glendevon Residential Park, was left lying on the ground for two hours after a recent fall. Perth and Kinross Council said there was no scope for them to award discretionary grants under current legislation. 'There's a lot of people disabled without a wheelchair – they forget that. This wheelchair is an excuse so they don't need to spend money,' Mr Sneddon said. Park home residents feel discriminated against as current rules exempt mobile homes and lodges from funding for vital adaptations like ramps and wet rooms. Lynn Cameron said she can't get access to help because she lives in her mobile home in Marlee Gardens, near Blairgowrie. 'We'd have wider doors for the wheelchair to get through, because some of them are quite narrow and you're barely making it through,' she told STV News. 'We would certainly have had a ramp, no problem.' STV News Lynn Cameron said because she lives in a mobile home she can't get help. Park homes are a growing part of Scotland's housing stock with more than 8,000 people living in them across the country. Because of that, there are calls for an increase in the rights and protections for people who make these houses their homes. The issue has made its way to Holyrood and is forming part of a debate around the housing bill. Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said park home residents are being treated as 'second-class citizens'. 'Compared to people buying a brick and mortar home, park home residents don't have the same protections,' he said. 'There's no doubt that park home residents are being ripped off, we've got numerous examples across Scotland of some unscrupulous site developers who are doing everything they can to extract money from people, many of whom are quite elderly and vulnerable.' He said beyond the new housing bill there is a lot more work to be done when it comes to protecting park home residents. In a letter seen by STV News, the housing minister has requested council leaders consider supporting adaptations, where feasible. The Scottish Government also said local authorities have a duty to ensure the needs of disabled residents are met, whatever their housing circumstances. Housing minister Paul McLennan said: 'The Scottish Government is committed to making sure that those living in mobile homes on sites licensed for permanent residents have appropriate rights and protections, and I have written to Local Authorities to draw attention to issues raised in a recent members debate. 'As well as housing legislation, all local authorities have a duty under legislation to ensure that the needs of disabled or chronically ill residents, whatever their housing circumstances, are met. 'We plan to undertake a review of the current housing adaptations system, which will make recommendations on how best to improve and streamline the system and better target resources. Issues relating to adaptations to park and mobile homes will also be considered as part of this review.' Perth and Kinross Council said it understood how 'frustrating' the situation is. A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: 'We understand how important it is for people to be able live independently in their homes where possible. 'If clients need major work done – such as installing ramps or wet rooms – Occupational Therapy can provide advice on securing charitable funding, if they are unable to access grant funding. They may also be eligible for further financial assistance through social work budgets. 'Private homeowners or tenants who require adaptations to their property can also apply for support through the Care and Repair Scheme which is managed by Caledonia Housing Association and funded by Perth and Kinross Council. 'However, under the terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 grants can only be awarded to permanent structures so, unfortunately, even when residents have permission to stay in a park home all year round they are not eligible for this funding. 'We appreciate how frustrating this situation is for homeowners but there is no scope for us to award discretionary grants under current legislation.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
