Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

I will try not to do what the Deputy asked me not to do. We obviously need to look at the housing situation nationally but we also need to work locally, county by county, in relation to housing. That is what we are trying to do. It is what the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, and the Minister, Deputy Browne, are trying to do. The Taoiseach and I will be interacting with a number of local authority chief executives. I will see if we can engage with the chief executive of Mayo County Council as well. Even in a country as geographically small as Ireland, there can be certain ways that local authorities and national government can work together to try to advance a response to the housing challenges. I would point out, though, that we are seeing in Mayo, for example, one of the largest drawdowns in the country of the vacant property refurbishment grant. The latter is a practical measure that is helping.

On the viability issue, we have to try to get the balance right. We felt it was a prudent use of taxpayers' money for apartments. We thought the need in that regard was more acute in terms of the viability issue and a better use of money as opposed to a wider tax measure on housing. Such wider measures have not always worked in the past.

I will mention schemes, but they will be the only ones. The first home and help to buy schemes have a lot of relevance in County Mayo, and perhaps even greater relevance there or in some counties that are even further away from Dublin. I will be happy to have a proper conversation with the Deputy on the matter.

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