Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Unfortunately, the Minister has played a role in this. He has incentivised the vultures and the speculators. We saw it in the debate earlier on about the core part of Housing for All where developers can avoid the provision of 20% social and affordable homes, and that is part of the Minister's plan. Therefore, he has, unfortunately, had an influence. Where he has not had an influence is in the four years after we called for a vacant property tax. He still has not introduced it. The Minister wants to know the location and size of every vacant home in the State, and the length of time for which it has been empty, before he will even consider a tax. Perhaps he will outline the broad view of what he is thinking. What size should be taxed? How long does he think a property should be vacant? Does he think it should just be in urban areas or will it be across the country, because there is a housing emergency throughout the State or has he none of that thought out after four years of us asking for a vacant property tax?

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