Maria Bailey (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a couple of brief questions as much of what I intended to ask has already been said. The 2011 census was more focused on unemployment figures than vacant houses as that was our biggest concern. The figures are very stark and that is probably the reason the figures for mortgages are down as are the number of people under 35 who buy their home. We did not foresee that the housing crisis would follow on from the unemployment crisis.

Deputy Coppinger mentioned rent prices in Dún Laoghaire and I will not get into a conversation about it but as someone who was on the local authority in that area for many years, we were starved of local government funding prior to 2011. I know the witnesses cannot answer that but the money was not there after that either to give to local authorities to build. We must be factual about the state we were in in 2011.

I very much welcome the statistics and information the witnesses have given us today. Like many committee colleagues I had a couple of visits from the enumerator and I probably did not have the census form filled out in time. I left it to my husband which I probably should not have done. I very much welcome the manner of the person who did come to my house. An exceptionally professional service was provided on behalf of the CSO. We are very quick to criticise and very slow to thank but the committee members have all praised the manner in which the organisation has conducted its census business.

We have had the Department in before us countless times and I know it is working with DPER on homes that are vacant, possibly due to the fair deal scheme, where there are deceased family members or the family home is going through various processes. It is interesting to have the figures before us. As policy makers, that is something we can work towards and help out in that area given the substantial number of homes that are vacant due to the fair deal scheme, mainly in Dublin but possibly throughout the country. A number of questions have been asked and then I will allow a couple of more speakers to come back in.