Michael Harty (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the greatest assets rural Ireland has is vacant property and, unfortunately, one of the assets it lacks is people. There are great disparities around the country in terms of the availability of housing. I envisage that such a scheme will only solve a small percentage of the housing shortage in greater urban areas but it will have a beneficial effect on the situation and it will also address depopulation in rural areas.

There are many vacant properties in our county towns, villages and town lands so it is very important to factor this into the housing strategy. A rural resettlement programme was part of the programme for Government housing sector. As I said, "resettlement" is not a word we like to use. It is rural revitalisation, coming from the bottom up where communities proactively come together and identify housing, housing is made available to county councils and the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government and supports are put around those houses that would attract people to come to a community and revitalise it. It is very important that the Government give serious consideration to this.

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