Mr. Eamonn Kelly:

The way the process works, as it did before, is that it is ultimately a decision for the Government. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage initiates the process. As he is the line Minister for local authorities, they can engage through him. That is how we envisage it happening but it is ultimately a decision of the Government. The local authorities would not engage with the Government. They would engage with the Minister and the Minister would then have to make a case and there is lots of oversight in the steps. He would have to engage with both the Minister for Health and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and then make the recommendation to the Government. It would then have to decide whether to do it on every individual order. The answer to the Chairman's question is "Yes". If a local authority wants to engage with the Minister, that is how it would happen. The previous lockdown was a reaction to the initial health restrictions that were issued. We have specifically put in the flexibility to allow for that and it is clearly stated that if there were an issue with a specific local authority or building control authority, they could bring it to the attention of the Minister.