Mr. Paddy Mahon:

To give a quick synopsis, since 2020, Longford County Council has reduced the vacancy rate in its social housing stock from 7% to 2.4%. Over the past five years, we have invested approximately €10 million in bringing 290 units into use. Our vacancy rate has been lowered to 2.4%, which is below the average, and we are aiming to lower it even further, with a view to getting it to, and maintaining it at, around 1.8% to 2%. We have received €4 million in grants and a one-off payment from the Department, which was very welcome, with the balance coming from our own resources. That is a challenge. At the moment, we have a certain amount as a debit balance in our capital account. It is an issue that is of concern to our local government auditor, to us and to our elected members. We are working within existing budgets in 2025 and onwards. We have brought our vacancy rate down. We were challenged by this committee two years ago to tackle it. We were also challenged by the Department and by NOAC to do so. We did it, at a cost to ourselves. More than 10% of our stock has been tackled over the past number of years. Moving forward, it will be a significant challenge because we need resources for all the other areas in which local authorities are obliged to provide services to our citizens.