Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The crux of it is this. If the Department or a local authority does not have some legal grip on this housing it will be a free for all and allocations can be made to whomever people like. Hello money can be charged at whatever amount for tenants coming in. Rents can be set at market rates even though it is social housing. The people living in them will continue to be handed forms by private companies to apply for housing assistance payment or the rental accommodation scheme so they can receive a top-up. Taxpayers will be subsidising rent in a house which was built by taxpayers in the first place.