Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In response to Deputy Stanton, CPOs are a matter for the local authorities. It will be up to them to decide to purchase a property compulsorily. We will give them the money and they will need to go through the procedure. They can acquire it.

The building acquisition measure is a new stream within the town and village renewal scheme.

It will provide up to €400,000 to each local authority to purchase vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages for development as community assets. That is something to which we committed in Our Rural Future, our five-year strategy. That is there and available for local authorities.

The Town Centre First policy framework contains a range of actions designed to achieve key objectives, such as social and economic revival in our towns and the provision of housing, as well as addressing challenges such as vacancy and derelict buildings.

The town and village renewal scheme is focused on the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages. Applications to the scheme each year far exceed the available budget but the scheme is subject to a competitive process with each application being assessed on its merits. I will come back in with respect to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown in particular.

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