Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

If the PRTB takes over the regulatory role of the witnesses' sector, are they concerned about its ability to be able to do that? I am aware that complaints to the PRTB currently are being processed at a snail's pace. It is not its fault entirely because, if I am correct, its staff number has decreased to below 40.

I am again open to correction but, according to an answer given last year, it used to have more than 70 staff when the sector was much smaller.

Currently, tenants cannot purchase their houses. Where will this situation go? How many units have been built since 2008? A major issue is arising in respect of allocations. The feeling is that there is cherry-picking, in that people on the local authority list who may be viewed as potentially difficult tenants are not taken on by the housing associations. Will the witnesses confirm this? On a related note, do all of the witnesses' clients and tenants come from the local authority waiting list?

I have many other questions. There is a problem with housing trusts, as anything that local authorities do affects the State's balance sheet. Have the witnesses or the people who direct them politically considered raising money independently through housing trusts or, where there is a revenue stream, pension funds and so on?

I listened to Mr. Ó Lionáin's reply. The major shift has been towards renting or leasing. It is a large financial time bomb.