David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State commented that local authorities have access to a register of vacant and derelict properties. Is it being made available to his Department? In other words, is the Department being copied with the information regularly? I understand there is an ongoing process. If the Department is being copied, will the Minister of State make the information available to Deputies? How many vacant properties have been identified? My guess is that very many more could be identified and put on registers. I am told there are 100 vacant properties in Youghal alone. I am anxious to ensure that they are brought back into use.

County Cork needs more than one vacant homes officer. It needs perhaps three, four or five people working on the problem full-time, such is its scale.

What kind of liaison is there between the Department, local authorities and the Revenue Commissioners regarding the tax on vacant properties to ensure that those properties are identified and tax is collected?

See this speech in context