Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 June 2013
315. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to introduce a grant scheme for the renovation or rebuilding of old vacant houses, not ghost estates, currently estimated nationally at 2,900; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28835/13]
View answerThe difficulties facing the State's finances and the necessity to reduce public expenditure to sustainable levels are impacting on capital programmes all across the public service, including my Department's housing capital programme. The amount of capital funding available has decreased significantly in recent years along the lines highlighted in the Medium Term Exchequer Framework for Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2012-2016. As a result, capital spending on housing programmes is subject to constraint over the short-term. In these circumstances it is not possible to consider the introduction of a new capital grant measure as suggested.
