Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That audit has been done. I contest that all of them would have another use. Depending on the circumstances, some would be more expensive than others. In a situation where we need houses to accommodate people, it is unforgivable that a State body cannot get traction from local authorities to take them over. We do not want to auction properties that are quite suitable. There is every breed of scheme under the sun now, such as the town and village renewal and repair and lease schemes, and various other supports have been given to the local authority sector. In some cases, there has not been so much as a response to a letter in advance of those properties going to public auction. These are the statutory local housing authorities, yet we are disposing of properties because there is an impetus on us to do so from this committee, the Committee of Public Accounts, the media and elsewhere, which are implying that we are somehow trying to hoard property. We are not trying to hoard anything. It is in our interest that these properties are used for the public good. Some have been but, regrettably, others have been less than forthcoming as regards positivity. The Vice Chairman may have a specific property in mind. There are a load of them in counties Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford and Mayo that have various transfers under way, some of which have involved costs and some of which have not involved a whole pile of costs. All of those should have found their way into the housing system but have not.