Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

-----and incomes. That is where it was based, but overnight - bang - it all disappeared. The whole lot went right out the window and we were soon one of the poorest countries, dependent on everybody else and on charity all around us. We had better believe that.

I will follow on from my colleague in regard to utilising on behalf of the nation and encouraging the spending of money by those who have it in savings on the restoration of buildings or whatever the case may be. There is a provision in various finance Bills whereby the owner of such a property - there are many derelict properties throughout the country - can get tax relief only if he or she has made a profit in one or two of the previous three years. I am not sure whether it is one or two years. Such owners have two options. They can spend the money and get no tax relief for it or they can let the building fall into disrepair. There are employment, visual benefits and architectural benefits from such restorations. In order to encourage owners to spend money on restoring derelict buildings, we should amend the legislation to cater for that and avail of the benefits. It is simple to do and self-financing. I always like to join my left-wing colleagues across the House in saying everything should be self-financing. This is one example of that and I am the one proposing it.

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