Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Taoiseach and everybody in the House a happy new year. I want to ask the Taoiseach about a matter I have been raising here on a very regular basis over the years, namely, derelict housing and the opportunities there to bring thousands and thousands of housing units back into use in a relatively short period. I am asking that renewed focus be put on putting in place the proper conditions and incentives to ensure first-time buyers can avail of these properties and to ensure people who are currently hoarding these properties make them available on the market to first-time buyers. The financial supports should be there for first-time buyers to do up these properties because as the Taoiseach is aware, the cost of materials and labour is incredibly high at the moment. We all know these properties are there. They are all over the place in all our communities. We are in the middle of a housing crisis and the slowness with which these properties are being renovated is not acceptable. More needs to be done.

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