Ms Rosemarie Tobin:

We are saying to local authorities that we very much want to give the priority to new-build housing rather than acquisitions and that is where the funding is available. When somebody receives a notice to quit, there are other options to try to maintain the tenancy, which is our preference, before there is a need to consider the acquisition. We are asking local authorities to not automatically go to an acquisition because of a notice to quit but if that tenant falls into one of the priority categories then that can be considered as an acquisition by the Department.