Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

What positives are in this Bill that will help local authorities deliver these vacant properties and make CPOs easier? Mr. Cussen called it an epidemic. We know that the derelict sites and vacant sites registers only reflect a fraction of the number of properties that are actually derelict and vacant. Everyone understands that. Housing is the number one issue for me. It is absolutely heartbreaking that people are living in communities where there are vacant and derelict houses and they are asking me as a Member of the Oireachtas, or asked me when I was a councillor, what we were doing. What is in this Bill and what should be in this Bill to go further?

I am aware that Mr. Cussen made the point that local authorities are now starting to recruit full-time vacancy and derelict sites officers. However, based on our conversations with local authorities this year, I am not confident that they will deliver in a timely fashion. We need houses now. When I look out the door of my office, I note three vacant, derelict buildings straight in front of me, at Shandon Street and Gurranabraher. They have been there for years. I want to have them turned into houses or apartments. Is there anything we can do in the Bill to make that happen?