Shane Cassells (Meath West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is not good enough. I am not blaming Mr. McCarthy. There is a problem at local government level but he is the Accounting Officer for local government. There is a significant amount of money in the Vote in this area. I have touched on one area in which, as a result of what is happening, we are ending up having to spend more money on HAP. There was a report in the newspapers yesterday and today that 3,500 council-owned homes are vacant. Who is accountable? I am asking questions here and being told by the Housing Agency that the local authority bosses are responsible, the local authority bosses are telling me the agency is responsible, and the Minister is saying something different. If there are 3,500 homes vacant for a prolonged period and 2,500 social homes being refused by county and city managers, is it not time to say the system is broken at local government level and centralise the whole system and be done with it?