I raise the issue of dereliction in our rural towns, particularly the rural town of Portumna in my area and the continued shameful state of the town’s only hotel, the Shannon Oaks Hotel. Despite years of calls to reopen the Shannon Oaks Hotel by local activists, such as local councillor, Jimmy McClearn, and many others, the investors who own this derelict property have made a decision to leave it in a shameful state of dereliction and disrepair. It is very unsightly on the edge of the town, which is now left without a hotel. As a State, we must have the means of forcing the hand of property owners and owners of derelict properties to either bring properties they own back into use or sell them. I call for a debate in the House on the topic of dereliction in our rural towns as soon as possible.