Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There are 31 local authorities, with three full-time vacant homes officers and the rest work part time. The Minister of State is telling us that many of these part-time officers have multiple roles. They can be the derelict sites officers, they can organise housing maintenance or they may be involved in allocations and planning. They are overseeing adaption grants and tenant purchase schemes. They can also be involved in processing Rebuilding Ireland home loans. The Minister of State said staffing is a council issue and the funding is in place. I have no doubt that somewhere like Cork City Council, with almost 9,000 vacant homes, would jump at the chance of a full-time vacant homes officer. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have stripped local authorities of their power and funding over the decades. Councils are no longer able to provide the services expected of them because the individuals working in them are expected to do multiple jobs. It is unbelievable that we are here today, listening to a Minister of State describing how a vacant homes officer is quadruple jobbing. We have 92,000 vacant homes. I asked him a straightforward and simple question. Does he want to solve the housing crisis? Organising seminars and failing to provide funding is not good enough.

10 o’clock

I ask the Minister of State a straightforward question. Does he believe that the part-time vacant homes officers in the 28 local authorities will get the 92,000 vacant homes returned? I do not think they will. In fact, I know they will not. It is not acceptable that a Minister of State would come to the House and talk about vacant homes and providing funding when the staff are part time. It just does not make sense.

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