What to do with derelict properties?
It is a key question of the intractable housing crisis. But politicians differ on the answer.
Labour wants a 'use it or lose it rule' for stalled planning permissions and vacant property.
"While official figures understate the true scale of the problem, we know that nearly 200,000 homes lie vacant or derelict at any one time here in Ireland," Labour Leader Ivana Bacik told the Dáil last week.
Green Party TD Stephen Matthews has proposed a new vacant sites tax - collectable by Revenue - to replace the current vacant sites levy, which he argues is going largely uncollected by local authorities.
But with 12,441 homeless, and thousands more still struggling to get on the property ladder, boarded-up properties in towns and villages across Ireland are likely to come into even sharper focus.
"There's potential here to accommodate hundreds of more people," says Peter Kavanagh as he points out some of the derelict buildings in his home village of Chapelizod, "it's an abomination when you see so many people looking for accommodation."
Chapelizod is one of Dublin's oldest but yet most-up-and coming villages; with several apartment developments in train on the edge of the former garrison town.
However, several idle buildings continue to vex residents.
"This is in a desperate state," said Mr Kavanagh as he points to 34 Main Street - a three-storey house built around 1740 in front of the medieval bell tower of Saint Laurence's Church.
The author Sheridan Le Fanu is believed to have included the property in his book The House by the Churchyard.
"It's got iron girders clamped to the outside to try and hold it together," Mr Kavanagh said.
"All the floors inside have collapsed on one another. The rain is running through it.
"It's populated by feral pigeons. We've been trying to encourage the owner to do something with it for a long time".
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Further down the village, Mr Kavanagh - of the Chapelizod Old Village Association - points out another missed opportunity.
"We have a red and brick corner house," he said.
"The front garden is full of overgrown trees. About ten years ago a family lived in that house.
"It was bought by Dublin City Council as they owned the plot beside it.
"They bought all the land behind it too. But this has all been allowed go derelict.
"It's something which really annoys us. In 2001, we were told there'd be apartments - we're still waiting for that to happen."
Mr Kavanagh also points to the old primary school in the heart of Chapelizod.
"It's boarded up," he said. "There is no plan for it. It’s a crying sin."
However, there used be a lot more dereliction in Chapelizod until an owner was encouraged by locals to auction some of the buildings.
The new owners improved the properties but at the same time reinstated many of them as they were 120 years ago.
Three new coffee shops in recent years have helped revitalise the village, with Michael Kearney last year transforming the old village Post Office into Parklane Deli.
Business is bustling - especially when dry weather brings crowds to nearby Phoenix Park.
"A family ran this property for 35 years," Mr Kearney explained, whose grandmother lived in Chapelizod for 20 years.
"There wasn't a huge amount of work done, so it was a complete gut job.
"I had plenty of trepidation. The building has a lot of history.
"I think its very important to revitalise these sorts of properties. Nobody likes to see dereliction.
"And with all the homelessness going on at the moment, it's nice to bring somewhere back to life.
"The more of it, the better. The village is transforming".
Proposals for further transformations in other towns and villages will be keenly watched in the months ahead.
