The vacant home refurbishment grant has been a hugely successful lever for dealing with the scourge of vacancy and dereliction as there have been over 15,000 applications. However, it was reported during the week that there is a proposal to cap the grant at €650,000, which would have a hugely disproportionate impact on Dublin where close to one in four properties currently would not be eligible to receive that grant. I would ask bluntly whether this figure is under consideration. I hope it is not. I really hope a decision is not taken to cap the vacant refurbishment grant at a level that would reduce the number of houses, particularly at a time when the Minister for housing has acknowledged that dereliction in its own right is a form of antisocial behaviour and that we are trying to get people back living in the city centre.

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