Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy knows, the Department has placed a high priority on supporting local authorities in returning vacant units to productive use. Between 2014 and 2015, some 5,000 units were made available to those on the social housing list through funding provided under the refitting programme, which is financed by the Exchequer and the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. Between 2014 and 2015, funding of more than €60 million was made available. There is a high priority on returning units to use and giving funding to local authorities to do that. That prioritisation will continue. The Minister will announce the programme in the next week or so.

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