Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I refer to housing and the Croí Cónaithe scheme. That scheme is fantastic and is beginning to take off and bring houses back into use. There are a number of issues around the scheme. First, the rule that a house has to be vacant for two years is causing a problem, especially in cases where people have passed away and the house is being passed to a family member. Some of these houses are in disrepair and need to be done up. That is something which must be looked at. The other problem relates to the 30-year rule, namely, that the house involved must have been built in or before 1993. There are unfinished houses in rural areas on which construction began during the boom. These unfinished dwellings are blocked up, and the need to be brought into use. I ask that this matter be looked at as well.

My final point relates to the extension of the scheme to include houses that may not be for first-time buyers or that may not be primary residences. These may be second houses on family farms that are vacant and that could be brought back into use for rental purposes. Will the Taoiseach consider reviewing the scheme in the interests of increasing the supply of housing?

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