Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee.

Like the Chairman, I thank them for their concise report and the clear recommendations. That is what this committee is about. Having spoken with all stakeholders and everyone associated with this emergency, we hope to make a detailed analysis of the situation and offer clear and concise recommendations for the Minister to implement thereafter.

Regarding CPOs, has the Peter McVerry Trust examined the legislation and how it might be approved? Many local authorities assert that the powers within the legislation are not sufficient to meet the difficulties surrounding property rights and so forth that they face. We need a clear and concise indication from all and sundry as to whether emergency legislation is required in order to give the correct and meaningful powers to local authorities, a suggestion that is prevalent across the sector. The aim would be twofold, in that it would address the housing situation and help with the lack of vibrancy that exists in towns and villages around the country where the retail industry is not what it once was. Those towns and villages need life and residents' participation and our housing and homelessness situation needs to be addressed. Everyone - I could be accused of doing this as well - is saying that CPOs could be used for more beneficial purposes, but I hear from local authorities that they are facing difficulties in that regard. I need the witnesses and others to give their perspectives on where the roadblocks are and how they can be surmounted. We will then be in a position to ask the Dáil to introduce legislation that can make our aspirations a reality.