Minister's 'war' on vacancy and dereliction is missing timeframe and crucial policy measures

The Government's latest housing plan contains all the right soundbites, but no detail or timeframe, write Jude Sherry and Frank O'Connor of #DerelictIreland 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, housing minister James Browne, and minister of state John Cummins at the launch of a new Government action plan on housing and homelessness last week. Picture: Leah Farrell / RollingNews.ie

After five years of campaigning to end the blight of dereliction, last month, we finally felt like the #DerelictIreland movement was winning, with the new derelict property tax, housing minister James Browne’s recently declared war on dereliction and the impending housing plan.

As such, we expected the Government’s new housing plan would reflect the dominant sentiment in the recent Oireachtas housing committee meeting on vacancy and dereliction, where we presented 15 policy solutions. As summarised by chairperson Séamus McGrath: “I think we all agree that we need to do an awful lot more about both vacancy and dereliction.”