Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

County Tipperary, despite its size, has only one vacant homes officer to cover the county in identifying vacant houses and assessing applications under Croí Cónaithe and the repair and leasing scheme. As the Taoiseach knows, there is significant interest, thankfully, in these grants from the public. For a county the size of Tipperary, I ask that the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage find some budget to appoint a second officer so that the grants can be turned around pretty quickly, vacant houses can be assessed and there will be efficiency in the scheme, which will make a dent on the housing crisis.

In addition, I ask the Departments of the Taoiseach and Housing, Local Government and Heritage to get together to re-examine Croí Cónaithe. The current situation whereby it is only available to owner-occupiers is stymying many of the applications. We need to tweak this scheme to allow it to be used in respect of the rental market in order for people to do up vacant houses, some of which are derelict, and get them back into use. That scheme needs to be tweaked. We also need a second vacant homes officer for these assessments in County Tipperary.

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