Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Making better use of existing stock has to be an important part of the overall solution, given the scale of the housing challenge we face. We know that, with the best will in the world, building new homes takes time, with the various stages that have to be gone through, including planning, procurement, bringing services to land, waterways, water, other infrastructure and so on. We have an issue with the underutilisation of existing stock, including in our towns, villages and cities. If one walks around many of our towns and cities and looks overhead at buildings at night, one does not really see people living there. That sets us apart from many other European cities. We have to find ways to make better use of existing stock. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has brought forward a range of new proposals, including the Croí Cónaithe special grant of €30,000 for vacant properties, going up to €50,000 if the properties are derelict. He has extended that beyond towns into rural areas and cities too.

When it comes to the issue of properties that are fully vacant, the vacant homes tax is a significant intervention by Government. That is the first time that such a tax has been imposed. One can argue about the rate or the scope but we utilised the information that has been gathered by the Revenue Commissioners from the returns made in respect of the local property tax to construct a new tax and intervention with a view to ensuring that as many of those properties as possible come back into use and become available in the market where there is such a shortfall.

When it comes to local authority homes, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has brought 5,000 social homes back into use under the voids programme. Where the State is directly in control of these homes, through our local authorities, we have accelerated the reinstatement of the homes to get them back into use. A further 2,000 are planned for this year, which is particularly important. We have various instruments, and through our local authorities, the Derelict Sites Act 1990 and the derelict sites register, which needs further work because we have to make sure that where properties are derelict, the penalty has to be significant to make sure they are brought back into play. We now have a new tax in respect of vacant homes, which will play a part in encouraging the owners of those properties to make them available. Having said that, there will always be legitimate reasons for some homes being vacant. We have made changes to the fair deal scheme to ensure that properties can be rented out and that the income is not a penalty in respect of the financial assessment for the scheme. We will continue to work on that. I look forward to the debate on the Social Democrats' motion. The Government will consider any constructive measure that the Deputy or anyone else in this House has to increase the supply of housing stock.

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