Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Select Sub-Committee on the Environment, Community and Local Government

Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 34 - Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (Revised)

5:10 pm

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

It was necessary to do this and it is being done. If Deputy Catherine Murphy has any specific issues she should raise them with me directly and I will address them myself.

I take on board her point concerning the mix of houses. When I referred earlier to singles or singles plus children, I did not mean that one-bedroom houses would be built. I was just reflecting on the current demographic situation in the country, which amazes me because it just shows how substantially Ireland has changed in recent years. I agree with the Deputy that two-bedroom units would be more prevalent.

I also take on board her comments about approved housing bodies or AHBs. I had some very good experiences with them before taking up my current ministerial post. There is a need to examine the whole AHB area more holistically. In my earlier reply to Deputy Stanley I said we would be bringing in regulations on that.

The Deputy also asked specific questions about HAP. Some 1,000 households are in HAP and the breakdown is 50-50 new versus those on rent supplement. Did she ask another question also?

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