Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

In this House two weeks ago the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, asked Deputies to give him solutions to the housing problem. I asked him to allow local authorities build on their landbanks. I also asked him if he would pay them the outstanding moneys in respect of the loans they had taken out on the landbanks. In my county Louth County Council is paying over €1 million a year in interest in paying off its loans. Yesterday the chief executive of the council said she would cut back the budget in order to balance the books. That means that local grants will not be paid.

The Minister asked for solutions and we are giving them to him. There are vacant houses in Dundalk and the surrounding areas in County Louth that are boarded up because they have no money to service them for re-letting. Two weeks ago, we gave the Minister the solution and I have heard nothing back. Will he please give me an update on the situation?

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