Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am not here to defend that initiative. The council's 2024 budget will be presented to councillors. It includes €10 million for houses or flats vacated by tenants but not in a condition to be re-let. That is a drop of €15 million on the 2023 budget and a drop of €25 million on the year before. I would welcome a Government response to The Irish Timesarticle last week.

I also question the figures for the vacant property refurbishment grant. We hear great things about it but in the 18 months since the scheme opened, just 21 refurbishment grants have been drawn down. I would welcome the Minister of State's response to that. Sinn Féin has long called for an effective vacant homes tax. When the Government announced it, we broadly welcomed it but it has failed.