Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State has outlined a number of different proposals. The fact is none have made any difference. I challenge the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, the Minister or the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, to walk Dublin or Cork and see the amount of dereliction and vacancy. The Government's plan was to introduce a vacancy tax of 0.3%. France, for example, introduced a vacancy tax which started at 10% of the expected revenue the property would make, rising to 15%, resulting in a 13% reduction in vacancy over four years. The equivalent in this State would be more than 20,000 houses being brought back into use. None of the Government's plans are making a difference. We have a housing emergency. The ban on evictions has been lifted. People are looking at houses in every town and city. The Government is not moving fast enough. The ban will be lifted on 1 April.

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