Mr. John McCarthy:

I thank the Chairman and the Deputy. I wish to clarify that yes, the commitment in Rebuilding Ireland is to be using commercial hotels for emergency homeless accommodation only in exceptional circumstances by the middle of this year. That is the commitment. With regard to prioritising a number of different strands of activity are being deployed to be able to respond to priority areas and priority issues, particularly in homelessness. For example, that is why there is a HAP scheme for people who are homeless operating in Dublin with greater flexibilities. It is not operating anywhere else. The scheme significantly achieved its target last year. It applies across the four Dublin local authority areas. There is a significant programme of projects at various stages across the Dublin local authorities, including at construction stage. The rapid build programme will continue to add to that. The question of why local authorities decide to bring forward some sites and not others, we would say to the local authority that it is for the local authority to decide and prioritise itself. They are the local authorities for their own areas. We ask the local authority to come forward with proposals. On many occasions I get to hear public representatives - quite legitimately - challenging the Department for being too prescriptive and providing one-size solutions across the State. There is a balance to be struck and in doing so we rely on local authorities as the housing authority for their area to decide where within their area they should prioritise. Quite legitimately I would have no answer if councillors in a local authority were to ask the Department why the Department had chosen an area or that the local authority should prioritise one area over another. It is for the local authority to decide which of its projects it wants to bring forward, and in what sequence, as part of its overall strategy for responding to housing need in its area. This will be in the update when it is published.

There is a range of projects across the four Dublin local authorities. To clarify for Deputy Ó Broin, I can assure him that whatever frustration he senses my colleague might be facing in this regard, it is shared - with 50% more - on my part because like the Deputy, I am interested in where the problem is for the purposes of resolving it. There is no point in different people going around the place saying "It is stuck here and it is stuck there"; we need to be clear on how we can actually move and what it requires.

Deputy McGrath was offended by the language I used but I am talking about integrated engagement with the local authorities, one on one, so that we are in a position collectively, from their side and ours, to address the issues in a streamlined and efficient way.