Mr. Mel Reynolds:

There are several factors. Economics is probably one. We saw the sharp price inflation outside Dublin last year. It is actually really positive in that it has to pay people to have a look at the upper floors. Back in 2017, Dr. Lorcan Sirr outlined that some local authorities had rate rebates for vacant upper floors, so there was incentivisation. A certain amount of dereliction is involved in the normal property cycle, whereby people are assembling sites. The Deputy touched on some of the issues. If there is a €3 billion fund, one needs to have full-time staff administering it. Full-time staff in local authorities are also needed. Let us consider the sorts of detailed studies we are talking about, whereby we examine streets and devise strategies for them. We carry out door-by-door surveys. The North Main Street study carried out by University College Cork in 2018 involved this type of exercise. It came up with some really interesting findings. It takes manpower, however. On the one hand, one cannot expect something to happen if one does not have the manpower behind it. There is a combination of regulatory barriers. It is difficult; our processes are very lumpy at the moment. We need a mixture of carrots and sticks. Incentives are needed. Our local authorities need to step up.

It is important to point out that some local authorities are doing really well. Waterford local authority was mentioned earlier. It has done really good work through the repair and lease scheme. Louth County Council has done really good work on CPOs and bringing back existing derelict and vacant properties for social housing. The Limerick regeneration project is knocking the ball out of the park when it comes to really good urban design-led initiatives. It is carrying out surgical interventions on the urban fabric. We probably need to determine the local authorities that are doing well, what they are doing and the staff they have.

On the question regarding architects involved in local authorities, a design professional is needed. The process has to be design-led. The local authorities have a serious role to play in this regard. A number of things need to happen here in terms of policy, but the space available for residential use is considerable. Every city and town has it, as one will see if one just looks overhead.

Cost was mentioned as a barrier. Approximately three years ago, Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council carried out an EnerPHit passive-standard retrofit of semi-derelict social housing in Rochestown Avenue. It brought more than 30 units back into use. The all-in cost to bring them up to the passive standard was less than €100,000 per unit. Retrofits can be carried out a lot more quickly than other projects. The buildings are already serviced. Retrofits have all the benefits that Mr. Reid and others mentioned regarding bringing towns and cities back into active service. Retrofitting can be done very quickly and cost-effectively.