John Cummins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with colleagues in conveying my deepest sympathy to the family of the late Vicky Phelan.

I refer to the expansion of the Croí Cónaithe towns scheme which has been announced by the Government in recent hours.It is very welcome news that this excellent scheme, which focuses on rural one-off properties and properties in our city centres, is to be expanded. The scheme provides a grant of €30,000 to renovate a property which has been vacant for two years. A top-up grant of €20,000 is available where structural work to the property is required. Importantly, it can also be combined with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI, better energy support scheme which provides grant aid of nearly €30,000. All in all, grant support of nearly €80,000 is in place to do up a vacant and derelict property anywhere in Ireland. That will be very much welcomed by young people, in particular, who are looking to get their foot on the ladder. We have all seen what can be achieved in TV programmes such as the "The Great House Revival" and "Cheap Irish Homes". That is often where the best value is to be achieved on the current market. Thus, the expansion of this scheme is very much welcomed. It is one of many schemes, including the repair and release, buy and renew, living city and Croí Cónaithe schemes, which seek to bring vacant and derelict properties back into productive use for housing. There is no longer an excuse for any property to lie idle in this country. The Government has put all of the schemes in place to encourage the owners of these properties to take them on or to offload them and give others the opportunity. Where that does not occur, local authorities need to be far more proactive in using their compulsory purchase order, CPO, powers to take them on under the buy and renew scheme.