Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy has not even acknowledged that the council built 517 new social homes last year. It purchased a further 45 while the approved housing bodies purchased a further 11. That is not even including Part V leasing. There were hundreds of homes provided in the Cork City Council area last year. Including the housing assistance payment, 1,295 homes were provided. The figure on the new-build side is significant.

With regard to voids, I agree with the Deputy. We have funded the voids programme. Since I took over as Minister, we have brought approximately 8,300 void homes back into use. I deal with the Deputy's colleagues in Cork and, as I have said to him before, if there are specific bundles of older homes, the local authority should make a submission to my Department. Last year, I targeted local authorities and 2,273 voids. I am responsible for the whole country, not just Cork city. There were 2,273 voids and 2,307 were returned to active use. We have targeted 2,300 this year. We are not doing badly. There are improvements. It is certainly not worse than it was five or ten years ago. I reject that.