A property on the Old Nangor Road listed on the register of derelict sites
Over €140,000 in derelict sites levies owed to council
Over €140,000 in derelict site levies from 2025 are still owed to the council, who have sought legal guidance over the uncollected balance.
Levies of €280,000 were applied to sites on the Derelict Sites Register in 2025 with less than half of this amount collected to date, according to South Dublin County Council’s director of climate action Teresa Walsh.
Replying to questions from Cllrs Helen Farrell (Ind) and Justin Sinnott (SD) at the full council meeting on Monday, February 9, Ms Walsh said that “where derelict site levies remain unpaid, SDCC will place a charge on the relevant urban land, which will remain in place until payment of levies and interest due has been received”.
“The Derelict Sites section has sought legal guidance and is currently liaising with the Law Department regarding the pursuit of uncollected levies,” she said in a written reply to the councillors.
“In addition to pursuing outstanding levies, SDCC will soon begin the process of applying levies to properties on the Derelict Sites Register for 2026.”
According to figures shared by Ms Walsh last year in reply to another request by councillors, only €61,169 of the levies had been paid as of November 2025.
Under the Derelict Sites Act 1990, councils can put properties on a register and charge owners a derelict site levy of 7% of the property’s market value each year until the property is fixed.
It is due to be replaced by a new Derelict Property Tax, which will be self-assessed and collected by Revenue, with legislation to be brought in later this year.
Cllr Helen Farrell had also requested “full details on derelict site levies… per site and per Local Electoral Area”, however Ms Walsh said SDCC does not record the data by LEA.
“We are unable to provide site-specific information due to ongoing legal engagement in relation to individual cases,” she added.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
