Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is evident that Housing for All is working. I acknowledge the work of the Minister, Ministers of State and officials in the Department, as well as the hard-working teams in local authorities right across the country. It would be remiss of me not to mention the team in County Longford. In the first six months of this year, the council will successfully tenant 82 new properties and, in addition, complete the regeneration of the 26 units in Colmcille Terrace that were promised by the previous Government. That regeneration is being delivered under the current Minister. The provision also includes 13 houses in the small village of Aughnacliffe and a further 20 in Ballymahon.

Challenges remain but we are seeing real successes. Never have I been as convinced of the conviction of the Minister and the Department to address them as I am now. It is interesting to note that although we hear a lot about waiting lists, we have seen waiting lists fall in Longford in the lifetime of the Government. They are down 45% between 2019 and 2022. In addition, the council has brought 141 houses back into use through the voids programme. The Department has put considerable weight behind that scheme. I thank the Minister of State for his continued support for local authorities.

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