Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am assured by the Minister of State's comments. I had no wish, as I mentioned, to cast any reflections whatsoever on the excellent work the Minister of State is doing in the housing section. I applaud, as Senator Marie Moloney has done, the Minister of State for the financial incentives has offered to local authorities considering the restraints on her budget. I am sure she would love to give much more. It seemed to me that it was not just a resource issue but that something else was going on. From her own experience, which is much greater than mine will ever be, in dealing with the city and county managers there appears to be something going in some local authorities that the Minister of State finds unacceptable and which any of us would find unacceptable. In terms of responding to her suggestion about proposals, certainly it would be helpful to hear what the County and City Managers Association is saying in the various areas where the Minister of State is aware, taking the Cork example, of two to three years in some instances. I would ask why they have left them closed for two or three years. What is the problem? Can we fix the problem? If that was to be done across the country - perhaps it is being done already - a meeting of minds between the Department and those recalcitrant local authorities might result in some of those dwelling coming on stream much quicker than up to now. I compliment the Minister of State on everything she is doing in that regard.