Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I completely agree with the point Deputy Healy-Rae made about voids. In many ways, the term "void" is very misleading. It is an empty home. In Constitution Hill, at the heart of Dublin Central, a very different setting, I have seen the way in which properties that were described as voids have now been turned into homes for people who needed them. That is why the successful delivery of, let us call it, an empty home programme via our local authorities has been a really important element of what the Government has been doing.

Deputy Healy-Rae made reference to the figure of €11,000. We will need to look at that figure a bit more, because in the information that I have, I am informed that in 2021 the average funding for the non-standard voids programme, to use that phrase again, for a property was €50,000, which is well ahead of the €11,000 to which Deputy Healy-Rae refers. That is something that is going to need a bit more work. In relation to Kerry, I understand that since 2014, up to the end of 2022, €8 million in funding has been provided, which has led to the remediation of 723 homes. I think Deputy Healy-Rae made the point that if funding has been received in the past then one cannot get more funding. I do understand that in 2022 Kerry County Council received a further €239,000 to carry out more maintenance works on properties that would have been empty homes.

Overall, it is something on which we can make more progress as a Government. From an environmental perspective, it makes much more sense to rehabilitate properties that are already built, which is why there is €31 million against this programme for the country overall. Through that, we have allocated €616,000 for Kerry County Council to turn more vacant properties into homes. I am sure the Deputy will have further ideas on how the programme can work better in the future. Whether it be Kerry, Dublin or anywhere else, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and the Government are fully committed to the adequate funding of an empty home programme to get empty properties full of people who deserve a home.

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