Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for that assurance. It is certainly very welcome to hear additional funding will be made available. Perhaps the Minister of State will explain precisely what level of funding will be available and whether it will ensure local authorities can tackle the real scourge of vacancy and dereliction, particularly in local authority and social homes. There are approximately 500 council homes in Dublin city awaiting refurbishment. We are hearing from officials and our elected representatives at council level that there is simply not funding available to bring those back into use. While we very much welcome initiatives that have been taken, the reality is that it is a hands-off approach. We still do not even have a national register on vacancy and dereliction. The duty of compiling figures on vacancy and dereliction is left to individual local authorities. As a result, we are seeing a seriously piecemeal approach to this. In February last, we were informed Dublin City Council seized just 25 derelict homes in five years. There just does not seem to be any urgency from central government in ensuring local authorities are given the support they need to bring vacant properties back into use and that central government is maintaining an oversight and the vital data we need on the true level of vacancy and dereliction.

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