The responsibility currently lies with the Department of Housing.
The power to turn derelict buildings into social housing should be placed in the hands of local authorities.
Offaly councillor John Clendennen believes it's an issue that would be better managed at local level, rather than by the Department for Housing.
Councillors in the midlands have previously called for owners to be fined if their properties are left vacant for prolonged periods.
Fine Gael rep Clendennen is appealing to the Housing Minster to reconsider:
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