Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Senator Seery Kearney raised a very important question. There is nothing simplistic about it at all. I would be less generous. The use of the derelict sites register is appalling. The record of almost every local authority when it comes to putting sites on the register is very poor. I know local authorities will argue that it might be an ineffective mechanism, is resource-intensive, etc., but we even have local authority sites that should be on the derelict sites register but are not. If the register needs to be reformed and improved then it needs to be reformed and improved but it is so badly under-utilised. I do not want to get into it today because we had a dedicated session where Senator Fitzpatrick raised the matter quite vociferously.

I will return to targets and delivery. Ms Timmons said that overall 4,000 vacant properties are to be brought back into use this year. I assume she is including the local authority voids programme in that. Is that correct?