Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,061 for speaker:Séamus McGrath

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Apologies. I missed some of the discussion so if I am repeating, I apologise. It is important to say there is a lot more discussion on the whole issue of vacancy and dereliction than in the past, which is very welcome. Increasingly, we get briefings on the issue. A discussion is to take place in Buswell’s Hotel in the next week or so on the issue. It is gaining a lot more traction...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Sorry, time is against me. On the different measures, what is a fair average figure for vacancy? In one sense, it is not good that we do not have a precise figure on the number of vacant units across the country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: No, that is perfect. My view is the vast majority of those buildings are lying vacant without any consequences. What is our best estimate of the number of properties on the derelict sites register nationwide? We know there is a levy but have we an estimate of how many properties there are nationwide? Each local authority manages it. I know a change was announced in the budget that it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Are there 11,000 commencements on the CPO process?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Are all those properties considered derelict?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I understand. Ultimately they may not be subject to a CPO if movement happens. Going back to my point, the vast majority of vacant properties are sitting there without consequence. A reply I received to a parliamentary question indicated that the vacant homes tax is applied in respect of approximately 3,000 properties; the derelict sites register is somewhere around the same order. I take...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I am pleased we have the opportunity to continue our discussion. I welcome Ms Orla Murphy FRIAI, assistant professor, UCD school of architecture, planning and environmental policy, and co-director, UCD centre for Irish towns; and Dr. Philip Crowe, UCD school of architecture, planning and environmental policy, and co-director, UCD centre for Irish towns. I welcome Mr. Nick Taaffe, chartered...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: It is a continuation of the subject of vacancy and dereliction.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Just a reminder on time - I will give a bit of latitude because we do not have a lot of members here at present. Sorry, if Ms Murphy wants to take another moment, that is fine but we are well over time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Does anyone else want to comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I want to make sure everybody gets an opportunity to speak. I will go to Senator McCarthy, then I will speak followed by Senator Noonan and Deputy Sheehan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: We need to move, but Ms Sherry wants to briefly come in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: No. Is the only way to get the real figure of vacancy and dereliction to actually walk our towns and villages? Is that the only accurate way of doing that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I agree completely. Underutilisation is a different issue from vacancy again. The first and second floors could be empty but the ground floor might be utilised so, therefore, the building is not considered vacant. That is a whole other subject.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I will move to Ms Sherry and Dr. O'Connor and thank them for their passion on this issue. They have done incredible work. They have looked at it closely. I imagine ownership problems are a significant issue. Sometimes, the issue could be establishing who the owner is, if there are financial institutions or receivers involved or if there are family disputes. To what extent do they believe...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Focus on those.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: We should focus on those initially. I totally agree. I agree with an awful lot of what the witnesses are saying. The vacant home grant was referred to as being focused on owner-occupiers. I believe it should be more widespread in its application. Personally, I do not see an issue with a small builder developing five properties from a vacant property. If they will bring them back into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Go on. I am putting it to Mr. Taaffe.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: I thank everyone for being here and for the work they do in highlighting this issue. We had a good session earlier. I made the point that despite the frustrations there is a lot more talk now about vacancy and dereliction, which is a good thing. We just need to turn that into action and get movement on it. I expressed my own frustration earlier that, whatever the figure, whether 80,000,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Vacancy and Dereliction: Discussion (21 Oct 2025)

Séamus McGrath: Okay. We could develop that point further but we are caught for time.