Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I note the comments made by Deputy Wynne.

On the figures I have for Cork city and county, Cork county has 747 applications received for the vacant property refurbishment grant, with 478 approved and 76 rejected, and 26 grants have been paid out on completion of works. The figures for Clare are 401 received, 234 approved, 31 rejected and 16 paid out on completion of works. Again, I wish to highlight the local authority purchase and renovation loan, which gives a bridging loan to make up the difference of the grant that can be paid back on completion of works.

Specifically on the question raised by Deputy Stanton, the vacant homes officer role is in every local authority and is a full-time, exclusive role to work specifically on vacant homes. The Deputy is shaking his head but that is the job description and that is their job. It is an important job. Their role is to work with the town centre first officer and the town teams, if the town team is established in each local authority area. It is vitally important that the role is specifically for that purpose in each local authority. It is critically important that this be their job because there is a huge task of work ahead in that regard.

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