Mr. Patrick O'Sullivan:

Local authorities are independent under the Constitution. They have their elected members. The executive is answerable to the elected members at local level. It is not me sitting in the Department trying to activate a sanction. They have the authority at local level and are held to account at local level by the elected members there. We work with them to deliver. We ensure the funding and framework are in place but we cannot interfere with the delivery of housing at local level. That is entirely the responsibility of the local authority.