Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps it is a different committee, but I asked the Minister in the Dáil whether he would refer the issue of empty non-principal private residences to the committee to which Mr. Ó Cléirigh referred. At least I think that is the committee he was talking about. Is that under review or will the committee be looking at that issue?

There is a lacuna of information because we have not implemented these measures here before but other jurisdictions have. There was some simple research I could do myself with the help of the Oireachtas although I am not very talented in that area. In the United Kingdom, there is an Empty Homes Agency. I have read its reports. I have looked at what has happened in Scotland. I have looked at the review with regard to legislation in the United Kingdom which allows local authorities to increase the property tax in a vacant home under certain circumstances by 1.5 times. I have looked at what is happening in Vancouver. I have looked at other issues but I obviously lack the capacity to do the work that somebody or a group of people who have academic knowledge could do. If we have that research in the committee's review, we could then judge what we should or could do. I am not suggesting that it would be absent but it seems very important to get that bit of work done to inform everybody on what exactly are the options. I accept and acknowledge that the urgency is now and is there today. It is going to get worse and not better. Notwithstanding all the things we are doing, it is going to get worse.