Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is my point. Call me old-fashioned, but I believe that local authorities should not have to apply to the Department to get permission in respect of voids. On average, Limerick City and County Council is getting back ten a month. Limerick and Waterford councils should have the authority to get those out as quickly as possible and then apply to the Department to get the money back. In other words, they should be given the autonomy to do what they can do rather than going up and down to Dublin to get permission for voids. Do the witnesses think it would be a better system if the Department were to give local authorities that autonomy?