Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I would like to address a number of comments and questions to Mr. Carey. Obviously, he comes from a business and corporate background rather than a housing sector background. The idea that we need a business model running the Housing Agency is a problem for me straightaway. In his introductory remarks, Mr. Carey did not give any indication of his views on the housing crisis and the housing situation. If he does not mind me saying so, his remarks were more about his personal business background. How does he feel about public housing? Does he feel there should be more social and public housing? If so, how would that be funded? What are the current barriers to resolving the housing crisis and, in particular, to providing affordable housing for people? Last week, we all saw the spectre of people queueing for days on end for housing in Hansfield in west Dublin.

I would like Mr. Carey to give his views on certain comments. I am not asking him to comment on another individual. Does he think there are people gaming the system? Does he think homelessness is a normal thing? Does he think homelessness in Ireland is low by international standards? Does he think the Government is doing nothing wrong? These crucial questions arose during the term in office of the previous chairman of the agency. I would like to hear more about Mr. Carey's views on them.

I do not know whether Mr. Carey has read the deliberations of the special Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness, which was convened in the summer of 2016. One of the key issues to emerge at the forum was the need to ramp up the provision of social housing. The EU fiscal rules represent barriers to that. Attempts have been made to find off-balance sheet models, but that may not be as feasible now that the approved housing bodies are considered to be on-balance sheet. I am not saying the chairman of the Housing Agency has to grapple with these issues. They are political questions. I do not expect Mr. Carey to resolve the housing crisis. There are critical issues in the housing and homelessness sector. I would like to hear whether Mr. Carey has a sympathetic view towards those things, or leans more towards the business view that the private sector is where we are going to solve this problem.