I refer to housing and the Croí Cónaithe scheme. That scheme is fantastic and is beginning to take off and bring houses back into use. There are a number of issues around the scheme. First, the rule that a house has to be vacant for two years is causing a problem, especially in cases where people have passed away and the house is being passed to a family member. Some of these houses are in disrepair and need to be done up. That is something which must be looked at. The other problem relates to the 30-year rule, namely, that the house involved must have been built in or before 1993. There are unfinished houses in rural areas on which construction began during the boom. These unfinished dwellings are blocked up, and the need to be brought into use. I ask that this matter be looked at as well.

My final point relates to the extension of the scheme to include houses that may not be for first-time buyers or that may not be primary residences. These may be second houses on family farms that are vacant and that could be brought back into use for rental purposes. Will the Taoiseach consider reviewing the scheme in the interests of increasing the supply of housing?

The Croí Cónaithe scheme is going really well. There have been more than 1,000 applications across the country from people seeking grants to allow them to being old buildings or homes back into use. This is really positive and we are very encouraged by it. The figures relating to the scheme are not counted in our new housing statistics. They should be because a home brought back into use is a new home in my view. The Minister is committed to carrying out a review of the scheme this year. He will look at the issue of homes being brought back into use for rent because that would be valuable and helpful. We have come across people who own three or four derelict properties and who would like to sell one or move into one and rent out the other two. That does not seem like a bad idea. This is something the Minister will examine. We will also look at the two-year rule. However, with any scheme, no matter how good it is, there are people who will try to abuse it. We do not want to create the situation whereby people are incentivised to leave properties derelict in order to avail of grants at a later date. We have to bear that in mind as well.