Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. He was here this morning when we had the representatives of the Department in and they spoke about the statement of strategy to cover the period from 2021 to 2025. That is about strategy and policies. The 31 local authorities are doing their best but we need proper policies and procedures, whether it is to do with homelessness, mental health, disabilities, thresholds or the tenant purchase scheme. We have a chance to make a difference because Covid has changed everybody’s lives and we need to make sure that, when we get the strategy ready, we take in everything from our local authorities. Now is the time to do it. Local authorities can play a huge role in people's lives. We need to make changes and they need to come now.

I will ask about Irish Water. I had a few businesses ring me during the week to say it had been printed that there would be an increase in Irish Water charges for businesses from next May. Perhaps the Minister will come back to me because he spoke about that.

I welcome the amount of money the Minister has given to local authorities for grants. Has there been a big uptake on grants? Because of Covid and people working from home, in my local authority we need extra staff. What is the update on that? With housing policies, in relation to Rebuilding Ireland, as we call it, it is important that the local authorities and the approved housing bodies work together and that we get the correct amount of housing we need. More than ever, we need to build houses. People need their own home. We were speaking at another meeting on a referendum on the right to housing. It is important that we have the referendum because everybody needs a home. The Minister has been working hard since he came in so perhaps we will come back to me on some of them.