Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, under the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, provides the vacant home refurbishment grant of up to €70,000. There is huge demand for this scheme. I have already seen houses that have been lying idle for years being renovated.

It is great to see that because many of them already have services there. There is the vacant property tax, which is still there. The Department of housing also has vacant home officers in the local authorities and is leading other schemes, such as the repair and lease scheme and the buy and reuse scheme. Some local authorities have used those schemes to really good effect. The local authority in Waterford in particular has really shown what can be achieved through those schemes. The Department of housing is doing much work in larger towns and cities through the urban regeneration fund and is looking at how we can combat vacancy and dereliction.

I am the same as the Deputy. Sometimes I go through towns and wonder why on earth somebody is not living in those buildings. There are many opportunities for people to get support. I often ask why on Earth a building is not being lived in, but it is probably something to do with probate that is taken out on properties. That is often the reason.

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