Irish Examiner View: Vacant sites levy not good enough

Are these laws just another example of legislative virtue signalling?

The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government has, for the second time in seven months, demanded a firmer, more effective approach from local authorities. Picture: PA

The vacant sites levy is designed to prevent land hoarding and contribute to lowering home prices. Yet, only four local authorities collected the levy, worth 7% of the value of the unused land, last year. Amazingly, eight councils had not opened a vacant sites register at the end of last year.