Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the Deputy's points, although I hope the Croí Cónaithe funds - the towns fund, in particular, now provides a grant of up to €50,000 for the refurbishment of vacant properties, and that has been increased recently - will help with vacancy in towns and villages. If the property is derelict, you can get a grant of up to €70,000. There are the help-to-buy and first home schemes, which are enabling people to purchase houses. I gave the figures for those earlier. The State is the biggest actor but I take the Deputy's point that more development is needed in the private sector. I mention the likes of Croí Cónaithe and the cost rental scheme - you name it - because the State is backing every project and every type of scheme with funding and financial support. That will continue but we need a more vibrant private sector market as well. We consistently look at all of this.

If there are flood plains, for example, I understand dezoning if it is not appropriate to build. I am conscious that across the country, some county councils are being told to dezone land, which does not seem on the surface to make sense to me. I mention the likes of Arklow and the Deputy has mentioned one or two places. That is particularly true when we are investing a lot in infrastructure like wastewater treatment plants and so on and since we have 5.2 million people. The Irish population will continue to grow; we are an outlier across Europe in that respect. In that regard, all stakeholders need to reflect on those fundamentals.

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