Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

----- but that should not count as new builds. We are happy to track that.

When it comes to this, and in general with housing issues, we are an open book as a Department and I am too as a Minister of State. I think the Minister, Deputy Murphy, is as well. We are not hiding anything. It is put out fully on display. We might not always like what it tells us but it is on display we are not going to hide it. Likewise, when it comes to Traveller accommodation, we are not going to hide this. It will be clear who is doing what and who is not. The Deputy is right about that link, that where there is an underspend of resources or where there is not even a request for money, there are consequences. That means that we have unauthorised accommodation. That does not work for anybody, and that probably needs to be highlighted much more. The Deputy is right. It is not simply a case of doing nothing and hoping it does not affect anybody. It absolutely does. First of all, it affects the families themselves and their children, for a start, but then it also affects communities. That is when we get these negative consequences, which is a whole chicken-and-egg situation.

Does Ms Tobin wish to come in on some bits of this? I am rabbiting on a bit.