In the programme for Government many promises were made on tackling the housing crisis. I acknowledge that some progress has been made, but we are still a long way behind, even on the Government's own targets. I have consistently raised the issue of vacant housing in many urban areas around the country. Towns such as Dundalk and Drogheda have far too many vacant houses. These vacant houses have the potential to make a real impact on the housing crisis if only the Government would put in place the necessary funding for local authorities such as Louth County Council to purchase these vacant homes and upgrade them in order that they can be added to the housing stock. When will the Government bring in the necessary legislation to enable these vacant homes to be purchased and upgraded to a level at which they could be brought back into the housing stock?

I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his question. The Government is absolutely committed to tackling the scourge that is vacancy and bringing empty properties back into use. The planning regulations were changed just a couple of weeks ago to broaden further the exemption on commercial properties being converted to residential use. The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, and I will bring forward, in relation to town centre first, the Croí Cónaithe towns and villages fund. That will provide people with a grant to bring empty homes back into use as long as they live in and own them. Furthermore, we are bringing forward a co-ordinated compulsory purchase order scheme managed by the Housing Agency on behalf of local authorities such as Louth County Council, which had previously been quite successful in that area - other local authorities, not so much. We will co-ordinate compulsory purchase orders in respect of more than 2,500 properties. There is a particular issue in Drogheda on which we are working with the local authority, but we will bring forward our Croí Cónaithe cities fund to have brownfield site development in our cities.