Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am here in Leinster House. I wish to thank the witnesses and, in particular, Anois, for sending in a comprehensive that we looked at in our private meeting in advance of today's session. It is really impressive and comprehensive and contains a lot of information to tackle the misinformation that is out there regarding dereliction.

I come from the private sector, which I worked in before I became a Deputy. I am all about best practice and sharing and setting targets. I firmly believe that if you do not measure it, you will not change it. No matter what statistics are used, whether they are from the GeoDirectory or the CSO, there is huge potential in unlocking vacant houses and turning them into homes for people. The first step, as I see it, is quantifying the issue. I do not believe that looking at four out of 162 electoral divisions and branding their figure of derelict houses, to use Mr. Shakespeare's term, as a realistic view of vacant housing, is how to do it. Ms Murphy has outlined the solution to that data issue. I think we really need to take on board her expertise and the international best practice, which she cited.

The second step, as I see it, is engaging with the homeowners and incentivising action. Waterford City and County Council has proven to us that this is possible within the schemes that already exist, which are underutilised by most local authorities. I am really pleased that representatives of the council are here today to give us a blow-by-blow account of how they achieved success through the likes of the repair and lease scheme. I ask Mr. Grimes to use his experience not just to become a showcase for the success of how these schemes can be delivered, but also to provide a blueprint for how to do it right. What we need to be doing is almost effectively developing a playbook on how it can be done - something that can be lifted and shifted to other local authorities in order that they can utilise the tools that have been spoken about, such as reaching out to estate agents and auctioneers, and the different tactics employed to make it a success. That is how we learn. There is no need to reinvent the wheel. When we have a success story, we should utilise it and ensure that local authorities can use it. All of us parliamentarians here are working in primarily different local authority areas, but we all work with colleagues in other local authorities. Us having that information can help us to work with them, their housing directors and chief executives to bring homes out of dereliction. I hope Mr. Grimes can lead the way on this and partner with the committee on it.

My first question to Mr. Shakespeare is as follows. Does Dublin City Council have a full-time vacant homes officer? It was great to get further context in the early part of the meeting when he explained a little more about the on-street engagement that takes place in respect of homes. I sat down to read the council's submission before today's meeting. It made for stark reading that the council could only find three vacant properties that would be worth tackling. The council's statement mentions an initial figure of 213, which was then whittled down to three. I am wondering where that figure of 213 came from. Was it from the GeoDirectory or CSO, or was the figure based on the council's own findings as the reality on the ground? I am interested in hearing if the council intends to look at the other 158 electoral divisions in the local authority. If the council got something like a playbook from Mr. Grimes, would it consider applying his method and Ms Murphy's methodology in an attempt to turn more vacant properties into much-needed homes?