Up to 10,000 empty houses awaiting Fair Deal changes

Galway East TD, Sean Canney, said: "One of the things that the minister keeps saying is that this would drive people out of their houses and will push people into nursing homes. Nobody is put into a nursing home until an independent clinical assessment is carried out by the HSE. There is no risk here." File photo: Leon Farrell/RollingNews.ie

The Government has been accused of dragging its heels on measures that could immediately free up thousands of vacant homes.

Members of the Opposition have hit out at Minister of State for Older People, Mary Butler for failing to act on a promise to address the tax implications of people renting out their homes when they go into long-term care through the Fair Deal scheme. A review of how people availing of Fair Deal are taxed and assessed was due to be published by May, however, it is still ongoing with no deadline for completion.