Pressure mounts on Leitrim County Council to use CPOs amid housing crisis

A recent report revealed that Leitrim County Council did not use a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) to acquire a derelict site last year.

CPOs allow local authorities to acquire properties for public use, a measure that was urged to be used more during a meeting of Leitrim County Council to tackle the county’s longstanding problem of dereliction.

In 2023, the Government launched the CPO Activation Programme to help local authorities systematically identify, acquire, and bring vacant and derelict properties back into use. Each local authority was given a target for the number of properties to enter the programme and for the number of compulsory acquisitions to be undertaken.

In response to the report, Cllr Felim Gurn urged that buildings should be identified by the Regeneration Office team and Town Teams, and progressed through CPO if owners are unwilling to engage with the Council. 

He added that funding should be sought to bring such properties back into use as accommodation, especially amid a housing crisis where fewer homes are becoming available each month through Choice Based Letting.

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Cllr Gurn also highlighted that dereliction is not only an issue of vacant homes but also a barrier to development. For example, a footbridge project in Manorhamilton cannot proceed because the owners of certain buildings at the proposed site cannot be located.

“I think we’re not using the powers being given by the Government. It’s coming up in our towns and villages that we have dereliction and I think we need to use CPO,” said Cllr Gurn.

Cllr Enda Stenson seconded the motion, stating, “Dereliction within our towns is a blight on society. All these buildings are owned by someone.”

Cllr James Gilmartin echoed this, saying, “Dereliction takes a lot of energy out of a town and creates a bad feeling, meaning people won’t come to it.”

An official response outlined that in 2024, the CPO Activation Programme included 80 properties entering the programme and one property being compulsorily acquired. Additionally, 103 properties were activated through the Croí Cónaithe programme, and one property in Dromahair was acquired under derelict sites legislation. So far in 2025, two CPOs are in development.

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“The Housing section is currently advancing projects under schemes such as Buy and Renew and Repair and Lease, which tackle dereliction and provide homes in the towns of Manorhamilton, Ballinamore, Mohill, and Kiltyclogher. These buildings were secured via the open market and through negotiation, and the Housing section will continue to secure vacant and derelict properties through these mechanisms,” the response stated.

The response further noted that active engagement with property owners encourages private action to reduce dereliction. 

Through collaboration with town teams, funding schemes, and local community organisations, vacant and derelict properties in Ballinamore, Manorhamilton, Kinlough, Drumshanbo, Mohill, Keshcarrigan, Dromahair, and Leitrim Village have been secured. Many of these properties have been renewed and put back into active use, while others are under redevelopment.