Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the work done on the ground by the voluntary housing associations. I come from a background of thinking that local authorities should provide housing at all times. The AHBs should be additional. Housing should not be based on charity. Charity should have no role anywhere. That is just my personal preference on public housing. In regard to tenure, I always understood that AHBs had discretion on the allocation of housing to tenants. Our guests are shaking their heads. I am delighted, but I did not understand that and I spent a long time at council level, much to my regret. They have no discretion. Is it correct that all the bodies signed up with our guests' organisations take 100% of the names from the local authority lists.