Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On that report, as the Deputy knows six towns were picked. I looked for one in Galway and one in the Gaeltacht. We got an initial report back. We sent it back because we wanted them to find what they were actually seeking. I hope to have the report published in the next two weeks. I did not want to publish it; I was waiting for the new Government to come in and do so. I will publish it now because I commissioned it. The local authorities discussed it with the community groups and came back with their findings. I was a bit disappointed with the first report and I sent it back to clarify some of the detail in it.

Two big issues came up and the Deputy raised one of them, namely, the dereliction of properties in towns and villages. It is an issue we need to address. They want the local authorities to use their powers under the Derelict Sites Act to deal with it. The Deputy and many other Deputies have an opportunity now with the programme for Government. People can say what they like and do what they like. There is a lot of dereliction in towns and villages. Many owners of such properties do not have the resources to be able to do anything with them.

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