Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I recognise what the Minister of State and his Department are doing and that he is doing everything in his power to speed up housing delivery. The vacant property refurbishment grant and the croí cónaithe fund are important initiatives in that regard. Bringing vacant and derelict homes back into use in many respects should be the low-hanging fruit in tackling the housing crisis. These homes already exist within our communities and with the right support they can be turned back into homes relatively quickly. However, a number of applicants have contacted me to say the application and approval process can take quite a long time and there can be uncertainty around timelines for decisions and payments. For people trying to organise building works and financing, that uncertainty can create real difficulties. Will the Minister outline if the Department monitors processing times across local authorities and if there are differences between these areas? What steps are being taken to ensure local authorities have the resources and guidance necessary to process applications quickly so that these homes can be brought back into use without unnecessary delay?

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