Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The last time the Minister of State spoke about them at committee I mentioned several examples, which are still vacant. I accept that after a period of time they go into a state of particular disrepair but with one house all one had to do was hand the key to the next tenant and there would have been no issue. The local authority would have received rent and the house would not have fallen into disrepair. I find it incredible that on one street in my town houses have been vacant since the late 1990s. It is absolutely scandalous.