Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will add some comments to those of my colleague in the time that is left.

I welcome this opportunity to speak on the Bill as it gives us a chance to bring a focus to this area. I thank Deputy Cowen and his colleagues for bringing it forward. As most speakers have said, it addresses an important area.

I reiterate what Deputy Cassells has said. Using vacant properties and over-the-shop properties is an essential way to restore life to our streets and to deal with some of the dereliction that is on some of them. It is also a good use of resources. We ourselves say this, with Rebuilding Ireland and all the discussions we have had here. We want to bring vacant units back into use. I refer to empty houses, previous shops on the high streets that are now empty and properties over the shop that are lying empty. We want them back in use. It is common sense. This Bill will help bring a focus to that.

How we can make this happen is something we ourselves have been discussing for months at the working group I chair as well. The working group, which involves all the different aspects of this to drive this on, met again today. This Bill will help that and we will tease through the matter on Committee Stage.

As Deputy Curran said, we have to achieve the intention of this Bill, one way or the other, either through this Bill or through other ways, but certainly through focusing the resources. That is why it is right that the Government supports this, and that we drive that on as well.

We talk a lot about the different schemes that are there to help this. We recognise at the start that a big issue with this is the financing of these works. We put in place the repair and lease-back initiative and other schemes to provide the cash to those who have not got it, but who might own these properties, to bring them back into use. I am disappointed - I agree with Deputy Curran - that the scheme has not worked for the numbers we want but I recognise these properties are in private ownership and we cannot force them to bring their properties back into use.

That was a good scheme. We are looking at it and we are prepared to make changes to make it more attractive. Probably, much of what is outlined in this Bill will help make it more attractive because there is the fear, if one goes to bring a vacant property back into use or to change the use of property, that one gets into all of these complications and red tape, and hassles with planning. The one-stop shop is probably a good way to do this and that is why I agree with the intention of the Bill, and to focus people's minds.

I had this discussion with the Heritage Council as well. It wants to be part of this too. We all agree we want these buildings back in use and if we do not get them back into use soon, they will fall away and it will be too hard to work on them. Ideally, these are for housing, but certainly, there are many other options they could be used for on the high streets as well. I accept many companies do not want to locate in these office types, but other enterprises, such as social enterprises, are ideally suited to operate some of these buildings on the high streets, along with housing accommodation. I am attending an event tonight and many of those present will be social entrepreneurs. They have a role. They could bring life back into a lot of the streets as well.

In the repair and lease-back scheme, the target was 800 this year. There are 500 or 600 applicants who are interested in that throughout the country. The majority of them are outside of the greater Dublin region, outside of where the pressure zones are. They are beyond Dublin, Meath, Louth, Wicklow, etc. I wish that we could see in our own counties a lot more interest in that scheme or a revamp of it because this Bill rightly addresses the issue of rules and regulations. There are also other ways of funding the changes. Together, the two options should be able to achieve what we want here.

The properties in question are generally private properties. There has been a lot effort made, supported by this House in spending over €100 million on bringing back into use voids belonging to the local authorities. Over 7,000 houses that were lying empty for years have been brought back into use, and rightly so. There are still some continuing voids. There is money to be spent this year to bring most of them back into use, but as far as I am concerned, this year, and certainly early next year, should see the end of publicly-owned voids. Let us at least lead the charge here. I am glad that was supported by Fianna Fáil. We will drive that on over the next couple of months as well.

I agree with Deputy Cassells. We have had Deputy Tóibín in here trying to blacken our town. We all will be aware in all our towns there are areas we want to improve. There are areas we want to bring back into use and we have to focus on that but one does not ruin a whole town in that conversation. Navan town is an example. As our town, it is open for business. It is a vibrant town. It is full of people who want to contribute, who want to drive a town and want to grow with it, with new businesses and existing businesses expanding as well. We want to encourage and reward that, and neither talk it down nor run it down. I want to be clear that we are open for business. It is an active town with a lot of opportunity and options.

The same Deputy has is self-appointed chair of the housing group of Meath and yet he has never contacted me, as the housing Minister in the county, to discuss housing problems. Here we are again. Sinn Féin likes spreading misery. That is what they do best. They do not really want solutions. If one was a chairperson of a housing committee and if one really was interested in solutions, one's first act would be to contact the Minister in the area who might be able to help.

I am glad that this Bill is being brought forward by Fianna Fáil. We will have to discuss changes to it through the committee, but it is solution focused. That is what Fianna Fáil is trying to do. That is what we are in this House for, to bring solutions and not always try to spread misery.

I thank the Acting Chairman, Deputy Durkan, for the time. I look forward to working with my colleagues on this Bill as it passes through the Houses.

See this speech in context