Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government has noted the Labour Party's Seanad motion to be taken tomorrow. It is a constructive motion, and we look forward to engaging on it. There are varying levels of vacancy indicated from different data sources but the overall trend now is downwards and vacancy levels are decreasing. All 31 local authorities now have a full-time dedicated vacant homes officer funded by the Government through the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As the Deputy rightly said, today the Government, on the recommendation of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, significantly expanded the vacant homes refurbishment grant, the Croí Cónaithe scheme, because the scheme is now oversubscribed, which is an encouraging sign. In the context of the public bodies to which the Deputy referred, I will ask the Minister to communicate with her directly on the matter.

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