Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for Urban Regeneration and Renewal, the Public Realm and Local Government, Thomas Gould TD, has urged government TDs to back Sinn Féin's Derelict Sites (Amendment) Bill 2022 in a Dáil vote next week.

The call comes after figures provided to him by the Minister for Housing showed €26m in unpaid Derelict Sites Levies at the end of 2024.

Gould said the proposal seeks to tighten accountability for collecting the levy and end responsibility being shifted between central government and local authorities.

Teachta Gould said: "The cumulative amount owed in Derelict Sites Levies rose by over €6m in 2024. If this continues, there will be €38m owed by speculators and land hoarders before the government introduces the new Derelict Sites Tax. Unless the Minister supports this bill and actually enforces the levy, he is writing a blank cheque to speculators and land hoarders.

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"In the Dáil, Minister James Browne claimed he was waging a war on dereliction. What kind of phony war involves a 3 year amnesty and a write off of all debts outstanding? We are not seeing any war on dereliction. Rather, dereliction is waging a war on our communities.

"For ordinary people, these buildings are an insult. They're an insult to the volunteers who try to keep our communities clean, to the people trapped in the housing crisis and to those who are running community groups or sporting clubs with no permanent home.

"These buildings are going to be left rotting in our communities. We know that a carrot and stick approach is the best solution to dereliction. This government is all carrot and no stick because they are terrified of upsetting the vested interests who leave homes to rot in a housing crisis.

"I am calling on all TDs to support this legislation. It is an interim measure to collect the money owed before the Derelict Sites Charge comes in. The alternative is an amnesty and that is totally unacceptable."