Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I would agree with Mr. Taaffe on that. We are mostly sort of focusing on scheme projects, that is, projects over a certain number. In terms of the local authorities or even the approved housing bodies, AHBs, looking back into our town centres and those smaller infill sites that might deliver, say six to ten units or even fewer, are the local authorities doing that? Are they starting to focus back and look at those opportunities to acquire sites, whether they be derelict or vacant? I would have concerns on that because I remember in a local area plan I worked on years ago there was an objective to provide for 6,000 new units, but only 200 were going to be infill. I know that one cannot control infill in a local area plan, but I wonder if the local authorities focus on looking at dereliction and vacancy. What is available from the Department to encourage that?