Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the witnesses to the committee and commend them on their report. I have a question on the process of consultation on country-specific recommendations. This is a response to the 2015 CSRs. Will it also input to the 2016 CSRs? Does the network have a role to play in this? Is there a mechanism whereby it can engage with the powers that be who put these things together? Reporting on the past is one thing but having an input into the future is more important.

Mr. Ginnell said that the budget had helped the situation with respect to child care. Would he also agree that the budget has taken a number of steps to reduce the level of poverty for those most at risk of cuts, such as getting people out of the USC, increases in pensions and fuel allowance, the Christmas bonus etc? We all accept there is a huge problem with housing supply, which is the main issue. We have in the past had an over-reliance on the Part V mechanism whereby city and county councils could buy people out but it has not delivered what we hoped it would have delivered and that has led to a lack of housing stock. Does Mr. Ginnell accept that the Government has a financial plan and that the money is available to build houses but that access to finance for developers and the private sector seems to be the issue, rather than the will of Government to increase supply?