Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South-West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Gould for his contribution. As I said, €11,000 is not a limit - more can be put into individual houses - but that is an average. However, it can also be combined with those energy efficiency grants. Much can be done in terms of improving houses with those energy efficiency grants, which, as I said, are upwards of €48,000. If there are problem areas, I know the Minister, Deputy Browne, has an open-door policy. If there are geographical areas or certain areas in which certain issues need bespoke approaches, I am sure conversations can be had in that regard. However, to say the scheme is not working is unfair. Some 20,000 voids have been brought back into use. Obviously, I was more familiar with the county council than the city council but certainly the work that Cork County Council did in bringing a lot of these long-term voids back into use was quite impressive. To say the scheme is not working is unfair, but if there are problematic areas or houses that have been void long-term then perhaps there can be discussions in terms of bespoke solutions.

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