Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

We get a sense of the national planning framework now as local authorities are being invited to submit new proposals for housing in terms of rezoning land. I would also point to the vacant property refurbishment grant, which has opened up houses. The Deputy is a rural TD as well; he can see that houses that were closed for generations have been opened up. In Waterford City and County Council alone this year, 319 applications have been received to date, with 184 having been approved. That is people moving back into homes in areas that were closed for 20 or 30 years or even more. That shows it is a mix of new and existing stock. All of this is part of the work that is under way from the Department of housing in this space.

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