The Green Party has slammed Fianna Fáil over the need to get vacant housing in Ireland back into use.

Leader Eamon Ryan accused the party of being hypocritical after voting down the Derelict and Vacant Sites Bill 2017 in the Seanad, despite Cllr Barry Cowen calling for action on empty properties.

Mr Ryan said: "I listened with interest to Barry Cowen at Leaders' Questions talking about the need to get vacant housing stock back into circulation, to 'bring life back into our town centres', and the need to tackle dilapidated buildings. All of those things are absolutely true, and Fianna Fáil talk a fine game – but when it comes to action they are found out. What else can you call it, except staggering hypocrisy, when Barry Cowen comes out calling for action he instructed his Seanad team to vote against less than two weeks ago? A leopard doesn't change its spots, and Fianna Fáil continue to pay lip service to issues, rather than getting involved in finding solutions.

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"Fianna Fáil are advocating yet more tax breaks and incentives for developers, which only serve to increase house prices and do little to encourage development. What we had proposed were comprehensive measures to encourage development of vacant sites and penalties for dereliction and vacancy."

(CD/MH)