Louth TD hits out at €105k unpaid derelict site levies ‘while people are taken to court for no tv licence’

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

The scale of derelict sites in Louth has been laid bare with the publication of new figures highlighting over €100,000 owed to Louth County Council in derelict site levies.

The list, which has been released by Louth TD Joanna Byrne, reveals almost 70 properties on the Derelict Site Register, as of September 2025.

Around 50% of the properties listed are in Drogheda, with the remainder in Dundalk, Ardee and the mid-Louth area.

All of the properties are on the register have been served Section 8 Notices under the Derelict Sites Act.

Deputy Byrne has criticised “the government’s total failure to tackle dereliction as thousands of homes and buildings across the state are left to rot and over €26 million in Derelict Sites Levies goes uncollected.

The government has announced that Revenue will begin collection of the levy but not before 2027, and with no backdated collection.

“This has essentially introduced a two-year amnesty on the Derelict Sites Levy.”

The Louth Sinn Fein TD added: “There was a total of €105k in Derelict Sites Levies owed to Louth County Council as of 31 December 2024 (the most recent figures available) with €26 million owed across the state.”

She added: “That money could be used to bring buildings back into use, to deliver new homes and invest in local authorities. It is a no-brainer but instead, this government intends to introduce an amnesty. For two years, speculators will be allowed to leave these homes to rot while local authorities are given no additional funding to collect the levies.”

“People are taken to court for failing to pay their TV licence or a parking fine. They are penalised and forced to pay these penalties. How can speculators leave homes and buildings to rot with no punishment?”

“There are almost 70 derelict sites across Louth That is scandalous. I am sick and tired of dereliction. I am sick of seeing beautiful towns and cities in this state fall to pieces because someone thinks they can make a few bob from flipping a site.”

“It’s long past time for the government to take this issue seriously. We need real action - urgently. My party colleague Cllr. Debbie McCole and I have liaised with Louth County Council on derelict sites in Drogheda. In recent months We have seen movement on two such sites that we have reported, but there is a lot more to do.”