Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I take on board the Deputy's concerns about Irish Water. I would be at pains to point out, however, that the Department has invested significant funding in a co-ordinated approach to try to unlock vacant properties. I refer to measures to deal with the ghost estates we were left with after the crash and the amount of money that was invested in unlocking unfinished estates. The latter ensured that houses were completed and are now the subject of secure tenancies. We have also encouraged and prepared vacant housing plans with local authorities and facilitated the appointment of vacant home officers to drive that. This needs to be driven at a local level where the knowledge lies. There is also our repair-and-lease scheme and the Housing Agency acquisition fund. I mentioned Waterford and Louth, where local authorities have used the compulsory purchase order process to key effect. This is a co-ordinated approach. We need to be very careful how we manage it, and we must continue to bring homes back to the point where they can be the subject of secure tenancies.

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