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

Today's announcement that local authority home loans will be extended to people renovating derelict properties is welcome and, may I say, overdue. However, it is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to tackling vacancy and dereliction. Unfortunately, the Government has simply not been doing enough to ensure not just that we see more homes provided for people but also a halt to urban decay and to the scourge of vacancy and dereliction across our communities. Tomorrow, the Seanad will debate a motion brought forward by Labour Senators setting out a pathway to transform vacant and derelict sites into homes. There is something the Government can do right away on this. The Government can act much more quickly and effectively to clean up its own house, literally. We learned last month through parliamentary questions that the HSE is sitting on thousands of empty properties. The OPW is also in possession of a portfolio of empty sites. More replies to parliamentary questions confirmed that Irish Rail is sitting on nearly 120 empty cottages across the country. The Government has failed to prevent the hoarding of vacant properties by the State

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