Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is important to note that the 45% underspend last year compares with an overspend in the general social housing budget allocation. In fact, the Department sought an additional €100 million in the Estimates last year because it was ahead of schedule with the albeit very modest social housing targets.

There is an issue here of political leadership. That also applies to us. There is a high-profile case in the media currently, so I have no difficulty raising it. It is in Stillorgan. Recently, county councillors tabled a motion regarding a piece of land that is currently earmarked for Traveller-specific accommodation asking that the land be revalued at the price it would go for in the market if it were not designated for Traveller-specific accommodation. One can see what is happening there. They are trying to say that the piece of land is of too high a value for that purpose, as part of a type of subterfuge to have the council remove it from the Traveller accommodation plan. In such instances I wonder if the Minister and the Department could take a more hands-on role. Clearly such behaviour, no matter how sophisticated the presentation by the advocates of that particularly offensive motion, is designed to undermine the already democratically agreed Traveller accommodation programme in that local authority.

In that context will the Minister consider options such as potentially removing powers from local authorities, be it under Part VIII or section 183, where local authorities have a clear track record, whether it is managers or councillors, of refusing to provide adequate Traveller-specific accommodation? We had detailed discussions about this in the Committee on Housing and Homelessness. None of us wishes to see powers taken away from local government. Most of us are former local authority councillors and we wish to have stronger local government. However, in instances where councils are clearly failing in their statutory obligations there should be consideration of either sanctions or removal of powers from individual local authorities for set periods and of going above their heads to prevent such electioneering and politicking. Is that something the Minister of State is considering or is he hopeful that the expert group will consider it?