Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no embargo on local authority recruitment. There are more staff being recruited into local authorities and there is more funding to local authorities than ever. In Deputy Gould's constituency, there is the Knocknaheeny regeneration scheme, which is really significant and which he has not mentioned. In fairness to the Deputy, he has been consistently raising issues around social housing, social housing provision and vacancy, and I respect him for that, but there is a responsibility on the local authority and local authority members too to budget. They are the housing authority for the area. We further support them through the funds we give. Looking at the regeneration programmes we are doing in his constituency, including a very significant one in Knocknaheeny, there are good things being done. We do, however, need to move, as the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon, rightly said, towards planned maintenance. The local authorities - I will finish on this-----