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

I thank the Deputy. I look forward to reading the report from Deputy Matthews and other colleagues on the housing committee. We will be moving forward with the Croí Cónaithe towns and villages fund. We have identified it as a pathway to housing and to tackling vacancy. All three parties in government are serious about doing so.

As regards work on a vacant property tax, data from the local property tax is being collated in the Department of Finance. It and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, in conjunction with me, will assess those data in the coming weeks. We have clearly set out an objective within Housing for All that we will move on a vacant property tax. It is not the silver bullet. It is one of several measures we can take. Work is not yet finalised. The Chief Whip made the point earlier that the report of the joint committee would be a good one for the House to debate. I look forward to reading it. I will keep the Deputy appraised.

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