John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Last week, we launched the first home share equity scheme, which is aimed at bridging the affordability gap between the maximum mortgage an individual or couple can get from a lending institution and the cost of a new property. That can obviously be combined with the help to buy scheme, which has assisted more than 33,000 households across the country in purchasing their first home, including 830 in my constituency of Waterford. It is obviously disappointing the Opposition opposes both schemes, which are aimed at helping people get their foot on the housing ladder.

One of the criticisms I get when I meet people is that there is no such scheme in place to allow people to purchase second-hand homes or derelict or vacant properties and bring them into use. While we have excellent schemes such as the repair and lease scheme, which is operating brilliantly in my constituency, that provides support to do up a property and bring it back into use for the local authority to use, there is no such scheme for individuals or owner-occupiers. I understand there is some movement on that and a lot of work has been done across Government parties to put such a scheme in place. I hope such a scheme can be put in place as soon as possible to provide grant support to individuals and couples to allow them to purchase a vacant or derelict property in a town or village and bring it back into productive use for their own purposes. This will have the dual benefit of revitalising towns and villages across the country and providing much-needed homes for those individuals and couples.

I congratulate the organisers of the Dungarvan Agricultural Show, who put on a fantastic show over the weekend that was very well-attended. The announcement this morning by the Minister for Rural and Community Development of up to €6,000 for every agricultural show in the country is a hugely welcome decision. This involves putting funding in place to support our rural communities in putting on much-needed shows that benefit all our communities.