Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not disagree at all with what the Deputy has said. There is a role for the public sector here as well. It is clear that not all of our public buildings are being maximised to the full potential that they have. Since Covid, we know that more and more people are working from home and we still have the same level of building space and one has to ask whether they are being used for their full potential. There is no doubt about it.

It is not just a night-time issue. If one speaks to anybody running a coffee shop or sandwich bar in Dublin - this is not just a Dublin issue; it is an urban issue across the country - they will say that they are facing massive challenges with regard to the changed working environment and what that means for their turnover. It also creates a question with regard to how we are using our space as property owners and whether it is being used to the most effective use possible. It should not be restricted to just the private sector, and I know the Deputy is not suggesting that either. The public sector has a big role to play in this. Certainly, as a landowner and property owner in the city, the State has a big role in it too.

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