Owners of vacant properties are being warned they’ll face fines unless they’re brought back into use.
The Housing Minister has announced a number of mesaures to tackle what he calls a ‘serious crisis for the country’.
But some homeless charities say his plans don’t go far enough
Latest figures show almost 8,000 people – including nearly 3,000 children are homeless – while it’s estimated there are around 180 thousand vacant homes in Ireland.
And today Minister Eoghan Murphy has outlined how he things freeing these properties up could help alleviate the crisis.
It includes encourage elderly people living in nursing homes to rent out their property – although the Minister admits this could prove difficult given the way the Fair Deal scheme currently works.
Minister Murphy says its about striking the balance between the right of property owners and the public interest
However some charities say the plans don’t go far enough.
