Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am not caught up on the approved housing body versus the local authority issue. I am more interested in who is going to provide the quality housing that is needed. Simon Communities of Ireland said that it is providing more accommodation now. Do I take it that it has the capacity to provide even more? What are the steps for it to do that?

I also have concerns about the possibility of 100% allocations to homeless lists because I am looking at other people who have been on the housing list for a very long time. They also have a great need of housing. What we are seeing at times is people from the homeless lists being offered accommodation and, for various reasons, either not taking it or not being considered acceptable in the particular complex for various reasons. It is causing delays in the places being allocated. We are still seeing flats and whatever being left vacant for an inordinately long term because of that. If something is available and somebody from the homeless list is not prepared to take it, there should be one more look at the homeless list but then it should go to the other list. We cannot leave places vacant for as long as is happening. I have concerns around that.

This is a difficult issue. The communities I represent are very close-knit, they all know each other and it is very hard to listen to somebody telling me that such a person is on the homeless list, but is not really homeless and is nevertheless getting ahead. It is the fairness aspect that is very important.

I saw the rapid-build housing on the site in East Wall. I would go into one in the morning if that was my choice. However, the question of divergence arises. I do not think any of them cost more than €90,000 to build. The cost increased from €30,000 to €70,000 generally. Now, we are looking at what they are costing when all the other costs are factored in. Can the witnesses comment on that?