Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I look forward to seeing the development of the site and the advertisements this time next year, and I am sure we will both keep an eye out to make sure the timeline is met. I look forward also to visiting west Cork and seeing with the Senator the opportunities that may be there for the vacant property refurbishment grant. As Minister of State with responsibility for credit unions, I am keen to see how credit unions can assist with that, perhaps in Skibbereen and elsewhere, to support people in getting a grant, given they are engaging in this work, and how bridging finance may be able to be provided. As we discussed during the debate on the Finance Bill yesterday, it is important that finance be quickly accessible. We have made provision for cheap bridging finance to be made available to credit unions for retrofits and upgrades. People want to invest in their homes and be able to have access to finance, and the credit unions can do a great deal in that regard. I look forward to visiting credit unions in the Senator's area to see how best that can be delivered for the people in his community in west Cork and to look at how the transition of the vacant property refurbishment grant can be financed and supported through the credit union movement as appropriate.