Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In A Programme for a Partnership Government, there are numerous commitments to address the national housing crisis. The key issue is implementation of these proposals. Notwithstanding that, there are still over 2,000 children in emergency accommodation and 135,000 people on the social housing waiting list. There are media reports today that up to 10,000 homes lie idle in rural towns, up to 3,200 of which are within Dublin's commuter belt which encompasses Kildare and Louth.

The Heritage Council is calling for the living city initiative that is currently confined to parts of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Kilkenny, Waterford and Galway to be extended. Has the Government any plans to extend this initiative? Are there any additional plans to acquire the large number of empty houses that could be used to deal with the homeless and housing crisis?

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