Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are keeping the Croí Cónaithe scheme under constant review. There has been a significant uptake so far, with 716 applications nationwide. In Cork county, 84 people had applied to the end of December. In Cork city, four had applied. The scheme is immensely successful. We want to get it bedded down and to encourage people to apply for it. Even if there is considerable interest, there will not be an issue with capital. The Minister will be able to go to the Cabinet and get extra capital funding.

Deputy Stanton's point about vacant homes officers was a good and valid one. We would ask local authorities to apply directly to the Department for additional vacant homes officers. We would look positively on that. We want this scheme to work. We would welcome any suggestion of a positive nature.

Deputy Griffin spoke about resourcing local authorities. In Kerry, there were 60 applications to the end of the year.

There is huge take-up. It was very much in the same vein as the vacant homes officers. Ask Kerry County Council, Cork County Council and any other local authorities that wish to apply. If they need additional vacant homes officers, the Department will look on such requests favourably in terms of funding.

Deputy Aindrias Moynihan spoke about targets. This scheme has just been rolled out. There has been a huge take-up in a relatively short time. The scheme will bed down. We will be interacting with the local authorities to see how they are doing. In a relatively short time, we will be setting targets in terms of a processing time. The key is that the local authorities in the main appear to have been highly efficient in the way they have processed the applications, in that they have come back in such a short period.

Deputy Murnane O'Connor spoke about a specific Part 8 scheme. Our schemes are about ensuring we can bring properties back into residential use. I ask the Deputy to forward the details of that scheme to the Department and we will look at it in great detail.

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