Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Connor and those Deputies who made constructive comments about what we have to do. We have outlined very clearly in Housing for All the measures we are going to take on vacancy. They are serious measures and they must be taken. I point out to Deputy Gould that I am acutely aware of that. I have not woken up just yesterday. I know it, and I know we have a responsibility to get them back into use. More important, for the Members who are genuinely interested in seeing solutions to it, there are things under the Croí Cónaithe fund whereby we will be able to provide grant aid to people who wish to buy those homes. We are going to do that to help first-time buyers. It will not be done through the help-to-buy scheme but through our Department. We will also be providing funding for serviced sites in towns and villages. We are very serious about making real progress in this area. It is not about soundbites, shouting at people or shouting people down, but providing real homes for real people while also putting life back into our towns, villages and cities. That is why the Croí Cónaithe cities fund and the towns fund are crucial. I ask Members to acquaint themselves with them.

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