Mr. Dave Walsh:

The process can be halted in many cases. The Deputy mentioned Louth as an example where they have used the CPO powers a lot to bring properties into proper use. I am speaking on behalf of the planning authority when I say that the motivation is to get a property back into use, whether it is a property the local authority would control, such as social housing, or whether the building would be used, rented or lived in permanently. Where the owner of the property gives assurances to the local authority, the local authority would write to the board and indicate that it wants to annul the CPO because it is satisfied that the property will come back into use. We close off that CPO process then.