Council criticised after years of only two properties featuring on Wicklow derelict sites register
The Wicklow PeopleSinn Féin TD for Wicklow-Wexford, Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin has criticised Wicklow County Council’s approach to tackling dereliction.
He was commenting after Sinn Féin recently moved the Derelict Sites (Amendment) Bill 2022 to second stage in the Dáil. The Bill aims to force accountability for the collection of the Derelict Sites Levy by both government and local authorities including Wicklow County Council.
He highlighted the different approaches taken in Counties Wicklow and Wexford.
"Not one euro was received in Derelict Sites Levies in County Wicklow in 2024, the most recent year for which we have figures for. One could be forgiven, looking at the data, for thinking that Wicklow didn't have any derelict sites.
“Unfortunately, this is certainly not the case - it's simply that no sites in County Wicklow were entered onto the register in that year, while 45 were entered across the border in County Wexford. A notice or demand was issued in just two cases in Wicklow, while in neighbouring Wexford the figure was 146."
Wexford had 85 sites on their register at the beginning of the year, while Wicklow had just two. By the end of the year Wexford had put 122 sites on their list while Wicklow was still sitting at two.
Wexford issued six compulsory purchase orders however Wicklow didn't issue any. This means no money was collected in Wicklow for the year in terms of derelict sites levies. The latest list of derelict sites on the Wicklow register, published in August last year, again has only two properties, both in Baltinglass.
District councillors in Arklow have repeatedly called on council officials to convene a meeting with local businesses and stakeholders in the town following a review conducted by An Taisce in 2025 around vacancy and dereliction, which revealed Arklow to be one of the “most problematic locations in the country”.
A recent district meeting in Arklow heard on foot of this report council officials have been carrying out inspections on the sites identified most in need of action. These include properties on South Quary, Lower Main Street and the Wexford Road. The review of all properties will be part of a review due to be published later this year.
Deputy Ó Súilleabháin believes it’s not good enough that the people of Arklow have had to “witness their town being allowed to decay into dereliction due to inaction and non-enforcement”.
“Authorities need to support those lacking the means to renovate and improve their buildings, shopfronts and the streetscape in general.”
He has also called on the local authority “to start getting tough with the hoarders of derelict sites that are blighting the face of County Wicklow’s towns and villages".
Deputy Ó Súilleabháin says it's time to see the action that the public are demanding to see.
“This means getting tough with the owners of derelict sites, the renovation of properties blighting the faces of our communities, and the rejuvenation of Arklow and the villages of south Wicklow." he added.
Since 2020, councils are entitled to impose derelict sites levy of up to 7pc, and unpaid fines on this accrue interest at a rate of 1.25pc per month.
The government has announced that Revenue will begin collection of the levy but not before 2027, and with no backdated collection.