Mr. Conor O'Connell:

Derelict and vacant properties are part of the solution. Housing policy to address supply issues requires a little bit of everything. There are many metrics out there in respect of the number of vacant units. There are many reasons why they are derelict and vacant. We are the building industry. Our business is building. That is how we make our living. We do not sit on derelict or vacant properties. We have no interest in doing that. There are many different measures to free up such property. There are some issues with some of the schemes that are in place for derelict and vacant properties. They target the end user rather than the industry. End users, in many respects, can be fearful of going into an old building because they do not know what they are going to find. There may be issues in respect of the electrics or foundations. What is the situation in respect of the damp-proof coarse level? Is there dry rot or wet rot? End users are reluctant to avail of some of those schemes because of the knowledge gap or the fear of what they may get into. We have made budget submissions in this regard. We are talking about the use of tax-based incentives but if we are also talking about sustainable development, surely we need sustainable development initiatives to target those brownfield developments. Those initiatives should be aimed at the industry, the professionals who know what they are doing, to repurpose and regenerate those buildings.