James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with some of the points made by Deputy Verona Murphy. I mentioned in my opening remarks that the lack of accountability when it comes to senior positions within local authorities across the country is shocking. The dynamic of the relationship between county councillors and chief executives of local authorities is not one that allows there to be open transparency and questioning. They rely on each other, essentially, to go about their daily business. Causing conflict between a chief executive and a councillor on the same local authority is going to make that councillor's job incredibly difficult. The majority of honest Members of the Oireachtas who have been in that position will tell Mr. Doyle that. It is not a nice place to be.

Will Mr. Doyle do an analysis under the 2004 Act around the reforms of local government and the ending of dual mandate in this country to find out from chief executives how many of them have been living up to those obligations by providing Oireachtas Members with the notes we require on what is going on within our local authorities and by having meetings, which I believe are supposed to be on a quarterly basis? Will he come back to me with those figures? That is one job I would ask Mr. Graham to do.

What Deputy Verona Murphy said is not without precedent. It is an issue. My interpretation of it is that once a person gets into the role of chief executive of a county council, he or she is almost politically infallible. That person is unquestionable. As I said, nobody is in a position to properly question those individuals without consequences. That is just something Mr. Doyle needs to take on board. I will put that point to him as well.

My time here is very limited and Mr. Doyle can see the clock as well as I can. I have one final question to ask. We are all watching this with huge interest. The issue was brought up by the Deputy from Dún Laoghaire earlier around ongoing house building and getting those analyses and figures. I will ask Mr. Doyle one question and I would appreciate if he could come back to me. Has the Department carried out analysis on who is purchasing newly-built private houses in the State? I want to see those figures and get an analysis. How much of that is coming from external institutional purchasers coming into the State versus ordinary residential buyers who are living in the Republic of Ireland. That is another question I would like Mr. Doyle to answer. If he wants a chance to respond to my points, he should please do so.