Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)

Do you know what I could not figure out? There are tens of thousands of boarded-up houses across the State that people are looking at every day. There is nothing in this for them. Do you know what I will tell you? There are thousands of houses owned by local authorities that are destroying communities because they are boarded up for years. There is nothing in this document for them. The Government gives local authorities €11,500 towards repairing vacant properties when the average cost is €31,000. Where is the extra €20,000? Will the Tánaiste commit? I am asking him and the Minister of State sitting next to him a straight question. Will they commit to funding local authorities to repair all these boarded-up houses that are destroying communities?

Can the Tánaiste imagine walking down the road and coming across people sleeping rough? I know a woman who is going to be evicted next week. There is nothing in this for people who are being evicted or who are sleeping rough. I know a woman who has her toddler and her mother in the same bedroom.

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