Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That and the vacant property grant have been a seachange in terms of the way young couples in rural Ireland in particular look at older properties when a short number of years ago they were not being looked at all regarding the possibility of being renovated.

Right across the north Cork and the Duhallow regions, the uptake has been hugely positive, it has brought stock back in, as have the SEAI grants. It is important that the expertise grants, the vacant property grants and the SEAI grants continue as they help young people to get homes of their own in their own communities. It also ensures that our rural communities remain vibrant into the future and that young families are setting up there as well. All of these grants are therefore vitally important. It is also vitally important that they are assessed and strengthened as we go forward.

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