Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I want to go back to the vacancy and dereliction question. Something that has been spoken about for decades is living over the shop becoming popular again. It is not that simple and it is complex, which we all acknowledge. For many years we were able to spread out greenfield site after greenfield site and sprawl with new builds and it was so much easier to do, and it still is. We have this imperative of carbon emissions as well, which means we have to focus and concentrate on the existing stock and the infill and densification of those sites. I refer to vacancy and vacant homes officers and I am glad to hear that both local authorities have full-time vacant homes officers. I am aware that some local authorities do not but they have all been given sanction and funding to do so. I am sure one finds out about vacant properties from various sources. The councillors report it, there is the www.vacanthomes.ie website and there is local knowledge. When the vacant homes officer comes up against the obstacle that a house is vacant for a certain reason is it then crossed off the list or is there an opportunity to go further to engage with the owner and ask if they can assist? Is there a reach out to bring people in?