Scourge of vacancy and dereliction needs action

At a time of great shortages in housing and soaring rents, decisive action is needed once and for all to combat empty and dilapidated buildings, says Kyran Fitzgerald.

It is one of the great paradoxes.

Irish urban housing lists are greater than ever, rents and purchase prices soar beyond the reach of all but the financially fortunate. Yet across towns and cities, large numbers of residential and commercial properties lie vacant.