James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Cathaoirleach. On the supports of the Department for local authorities to bring voids back into use, a local authority can spend as much as it wants on any house but it is given €11,000, on average, per property. That was a decision by the Government to provide some additional supports to local authorities. Theoretically, local authorities are meant to bring the properties back in under their own steam, for want of a better phrase. We are examining why some local authorities are very good at managing to do this while others struggle. Some local authorities have very few arrears while some have a lot. In this regard, we should bear in mind the maintenance of funding going back into local authorities.

The serviced sites scheme could be used far more effectively. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, is very much focused on examining the serviced sites scheme and how we can use it a lot more using the ready-to-build mechanism. We are reviewing it because the local authority uptake is quite low, but I believe there actually is a demand for it. It is a question of determining whether the problem with providing serviced sites is administrative, a case of how the scheme is set up, or the result of a lack of awareness. The Minister of State is also particularly focused on how we can use the scheme an awful lot more.

We have an affordable housing fund application in from Longford for 25 homes but it is under review. It can be a struggle for certain counties – Longford is one of them – to actually meet the scheme criteria in a way that makes sense in terms of affordability. It is a matter I am examining because midlands counties suffer and then suffer again because neighbouring local authorities, perhaps with higher subsidies, can suck a bit of capacity.