Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives from Limerick City and County Council and Waterford City and County Council for being here. The witnesses will appreciate that, since I am a Deputy from Limerick city, my questions will probably be more directed towards the officials from Limerick. I acknowledge the great work being done in Waterford. I know about the work the council has done, especially on the older buildings in the city.

The witnesses are well aware that my main concern is housing. I acknowledge the great work they have done and our interaction with all staff at council level. I want to put that on record. At every level, I find the staff involved in housing fantastic to work with, as do my own staff. I know I have raised the voids before. Ms Curley has raised the issue here. The funding that the council has got from the repayment of the loan for Troy Studios has allowed the council to leverage additional funding.

Is that 178 voids? Will Ms Curley flesh out roughly where they are located? Are they in both city and county? Will she go through the process? I know she is in the process of going out to tender. Will she give us a track because 178 units is a significant body of units? The infrastructure is already there because they were in existing housing stock the council owned. Will she give me some detail on where they are, the timescale and when the allocations are expected to happen? The word on the grapevine is that work is about to commence. Will she cover those points for me please?