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

The figures for Longford are very impressive. We have had 124 applications under the Croí Cónaithe scheme. In addition to that scheme, I would like to see a greater emphasis on the repair-and-lease scheme in rural areas. There is still significant low-hanging fruit if we can revisit that scheme and tweak it, specifically for provincial towns. We are seeing some improvements in this regard, particularly regarding former public houses that are being reconfigured and repurposed as apartments. However, there would be further capacity for growth and opportunity if we considered a specific repair-and-lease scheme for rural areas.

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