Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We all share the aspiration that there should be no voids in circulation. This scheme has received €85 million in Government funding. There appears to be double-counting. If the Minister cannot explain this sharp divergence orally, maybe he will put it in writing. The figure provided by an independent body is half the figure provided by the Department. It does not add up. We need to know. If there is doubt, the Minister should bring clarity. There is too much at stake, including a great deal of money, for this to be hanging over us. It took long enough to get to the bottom of the statistics in respect of housing starts, when ESB figures were being used. Some €85 million has been set aside for these purposes. In 2014, NOAC told us that there were 4,000 void units. The Minister has told us that 8,000 such units have been put back into use. Despite his best intentions, I am afraid the explanation he has just given me does not cut it. If it is not possible to provide an explanation of this sharp divergence orally, I ask for it to be provided in writing. An independent authority with Government jurisdiction is giving one figure and a Department is giving a figure that is twice as big. Some €85 million is at stake.

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