Rory Hearne

Overall sentiment: -0.12
Back to Debate

People are sick of seeing derelict buildings across this country when they cannot get a home of their own but the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste's blaming of councils is shameless. The Taoiseach was in government during the Celtic tiger when councils were gutted. Fine Gael has been in government since 2011 and has starved local authorities of funding. The reality is the new derelict sites tax, just like the vacant homes tax, is designed to fail. There are over 20,000 derelict properties but it is only going to apply to those on the register, which is in the region of 2,000 homes. The tax will actually apply to a fraction of derelict sites and buildings. Will the Government give councils sufficient capacity to ensure that every derelict building is put on the register? Will it bring in the tax immediately for all derelict buildings? Will it ensure that councils have the funding to compulsorily purchase derelict buildings on the register and turn them into homes?

Sentiment score: -0.09

Of course they were.

Sentiment score: 0.00

It is not stupid. The Government did it during austerity.

Sentiment score: 0.21

The Government absolutely destroyed councils' capacity.

Sentiment score: -0.54

The stupid statement is the Taoiseach's.

Sentiment score: -0.53

He just said I made a stupid-----

Sentiment score: 0.00

It hit a bone because it is true.

Sentiment score: 0.42

That is the Government's fault, not theirs.

Sentiment score: -0.40