Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Higgins very much. On the vacancy issue, we have done a very significant amount of work through our Town Centre First policy which is a very exciting new enabling policy to unlock the potential in our towns and villages right across the country and to draw these funding investment structures together to enable a ground-up approach from community groups that can work with a town regeneration officer in the local authority.

We have also increased the budget for the vacant homes offices and hopefully by the second quarter of this year we will have a full-time vacant homes officer in each local authority. We see that as a very significant priority because it is an area that needs considerable focus into the future. Everyone is aware of the challenges in rural areas of trying to bring derelict or vacant properties back into use and in allowing these to realise their potential in the local community.

Something which the Deputy also referred to which is very important is the Traveller accommodation budget. I acknowledge that we still have very substantial challenges in that area but we are working very hard with families to support them.

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office, OCO, report last year was very chilling and I have met with staff of the office. I also met with the rights commissioner last year to try to advance our proposals. We have a number of schemes now, backed up by finance, which are trying to support families, as well as our expert group which meets to drive the implementation of the expert report. It has set out its programme of work, working currently on 18 of the 32 recommendations. That is a very challenging area. As a father of two young children I am fully aware of the pressures that arise in that field and I am working also very hard to deliver in that area.