Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tackling vacancy is a key priority for the Government and is part of the wider Housing for All strategy. The Deputy has submitted a question on this to my colleague, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

As to the Deputy's question about the Revenue Commissioners, they are engaged around the VHT. It is collected on a self-assessment basis and applies under specific criteria. We have a range of other databases that use different statistical bases to define vacancy. The primary purpose of the vacant property register administered by Revenue is the administration of the vacant homes tax.

I will engage in a meeting with the Revenue Commissioners in the coming weeks on the Deputy's specific questions about their level of engagement with other Departments. There is collaboration on this across the Government. It was introduced as an important reform to try to deal with issue of vacancy. It is complemented by the work of my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien, on the system of grants he has advanced. I will come back to the Deputy directly about Revenue's direct engagement. However, there has been a collaborative effort across the Government with the introduction of the tax and tackling vacancy as part of Housing for All.

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