Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, and I believe it is a crucial point. This is where the nub of the problem lies. The Department of Social Protection replaced the local authorities in providing homes for people who are now on the housing list. I strongly disagree with my colleague from an adjoining constituency, Deputy Cowen. Even it is only for the short term, it is only postponing from today what is going to happen further down the road. When the transfer took place, I spoke publicly about it. I said that it would never work and that it was an abdication of responsibility on the part of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and the local authorities. The responsibilities of both were of a first-hand nature, at the coal face. For the life of me, I cannot understand how any increase in the rental would improve that situation other than to use Government funding from another source or Department to patch up a problem that exists and that requires urgent treatment.