Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move recommendation No. 46:

In page 178, between lines 6 and 7, to insert the following: “Report on Vacant Homes Tax

114. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the vacant homes tax, including an assessment of options to include derelict properties within its scope, and to increase the amount of vacant homes tax to be charged by 50 per cent for each year that the property remains vacant.”.

I will speak very briefly to the recommendations. I addressed both of these issues in my Second Stage speech. I hope the Minister of State will acknowledge the fact at the very least that the current policies to tackle derelict homes and vacant properties are simply not working. Senator Maria Byrne and I are both from Limerick and where we live is littered with vacant properties. It is the same throughout the State. Again, there seems to be an ideological reluctance, perhaps on the part of the Fine Gael Party and certainly on the part of the Department of Finance, to tackle this issue. Everyone knows we need further measures. I kind of understand the reluctance, given that conservative parties do not like taxing vacant sites. They need to get over that. We need to see much greater levels of action because the current provisions in respect of residential zoned land tax and vacant home taxes are not working.