Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

This is the first opportunity that I have had to address the Minister since the general election. One issue I campaigned on was dereliction in rural towns and villages. There are many derelict houses across Clare as there are in most of Ireland. Deputy O'Donohoe alluded to the problem. Shelley McNamara, one of Ireland's leading architects, who recently won the Pritzker prize for architecture, has spoken of the need for a pilot project and to look in particular at regulations to bring old buildings in our market towns up to current standards. It is almost impossible. It is far more expensive than what Deputy O'Donohoe proposes which would be to leave the front facade, knocking the rest down and rebuild them. There could be a big long architectural discussion of whether it is the same building after one does that, but would the Minister consider a pilot project, preferably in a town in Clare and unfortunately there are many in Clare with much dereliction but it could be any town in Ireland, and see if leading architects can be brought together to end dereliction? We need to get people living in those houses to end homelessness but it also has an effect on the morale of a town when its main market square or main street is full of derelict buildings. I see Deputy Feighan in the Chamber. He is from Boyle, a town in which there has been much renewal. I dare say there is not a single town outside County Dublin or north Kildare where there is not dereliction in the main street.

Local authorities are effectively on their knees. Around 1,000 people are employed by Clare County Council, all of them carrying out essential services to their community. A rates holiday has been announced. Local authorities need money. They have three sources of funding, the central grant, rates and the local property tax. People simply cannot afford to have their local property tax increased. How will local authorities fund themselves in the future? The three months rates break announced is very welcomed by all businesses, but it may have to be much longer for pubs and restaurants in particular as well as others in the hospitality industry to make it worthwhile reopening. If they face a hefty rates bill even in six months, it will not be worth their while to reopen.

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