Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I, too, compliment Deputy Cowen on bringing forward this Bill. He has shown through his freedom of information requests to each local authority that there were over 2,600 vacant units in the country in council ownership. That they were in council ownership is very important to note. The information provided to the Deputy also shows that, in 2014 and 2015, there was a reduction of €6.1 million in refurbishment funding. The Minister of State opposite is writing. An bhfuil sé ag éisteacht? Despite all the talk by Ministers and announcements and despite Rebuilding Ireland, the Government should show me the money. It should give the money to the councils and they will do the work. It is not being done.

I agree there is an emergency, yet there are only talk, reports and paper. We could build houses. We will be flooded or smothered with reports but it is all poppycock. I said this to the former Minister responsible for housing, Deputy Coveney, and now I say it to the current Minister. I said it to the five or six Ministers for housing we had in recent years. I referred to it during the talks on the programme for Government last year.

The change-of-use policy should be changed. I refer to rigorous planning. Towns in County Tipperary, such as Carrick-on-Suir, Clonmel, Cahir, Tipperary town and Cashel, have streetscapes littered with buildings or shop units that have been closed for years. I propose that where a premises is closed for five years, or definitely ten years, people should be allowed to turn it back into a residential unit without a change-of-use application.

They will not reopen shops because there are so few people.

As Deputy Collins said, a number of things could be done. We could bring back a living town, reduce the numbers on the housing list and provide housing for the homeless. We would remove dereliction from street scapes and enhance towns. I do not know where the blockages are. I have told the Minister of State umpteen times to telephone county managers and get the relevant fixes in the Department.

We need to cut out half of the red tape and let people make changes. I know a man who wanted to build a shower because he was frail and could not go up and down the stairs. His shop had been closed for ten years, but he was not allowed to make changes and had to apply for a change of use for the corner of a large shop. That is the kind of nonsense that is going on in county councils.

Deputy Cowen referred to VAT a number of weeks ago. People said he was in the pockets of the builders. Never mind the builders. We should reduce VAT for people who are doing work, buying equipment and paying builders and tradesmen. That would give work to local businesses and tradesmen and support local hardware shops which are barely surviving following the recession. It is nothing short of common sense.

We need to cut out the red tape, reports and visits to various places. I am on the housing committee and am invited to go on visits, but I do not go because I know it is all poppycock and balderdash. We need to allow people to convert units, rejuvenate our towns and get people off the streets. It is not rocket science. It is basic common sense.

Some 53% of the cost of the change of use of a premises in Clonmel town goes on VAT, planning fees and development charges. We should cut out such things and we would then have a living town and people would be off the streets. Some of the consultants and spin doctors would be out of a job, but people would be in comfortable homes and we would not be in this crisis.

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