Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Fianna Fail)
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I agree with Deputy Coppinger in the context of her concerns. Like previous speakers, I was a councillor for years. As councillors, Clúid and Respond! were the main approved housing bodies with which we would have dealt, if on a smaller scale. All of a sudden, Co-operative Housing Ireland has entered the picture and on a bigger scale. I welcome the fact that we need to work with the credit union movement to provide houses because local authorities are not doing that. I think this is a Government call. We are getting to the stage that this is the way forward.

When one applies to Clúid or Respond!, one must apply to the local authority and the names are then submitted to the different agencies. On some of the application forms it states that one cannot go to any political parties or one cannot have representations from political figures. As a person who has worked in the area of local authority housing and who has made constant representations on behalf of people on the housing list, that is an issue. The major issue is that a tenant cannot purchase his or her house. I do not like that. The impact of approved housing bodies appears to be growing. In my constituency, Fruithill Manor was developed by Co-operative Housing Ireland in Graiguecullen, County Carlow. I was at the launch of this development of 67 houses, and we are waiting to get word in respect of four of these. I hope we will receive word this week. This body is different to what it was previously. Even though the names of those applying for houses go to the local authorities, it is different because everything goes through the approved housing body. I know that Co-operative Housing Ireland has managers who run some estates. I have no problem with that because I think it is good that everybody can participate.

The main issue I have relates to the fact that the approved housing bodies need to look at giving people the option to buy. This is a major concern. It is putting people off applying for some of these houses because they feel, given that they are younger, that they may not be able to buy their houses. Hopefully, however, things are going change and they want the option to buy at a later stage. They will never have that opportunity unless they hand back their keys and seek either a local authority mortgage or to go on the local authority housing list. From my experience as a former councillor and as a Senator, I am of the view that there should be more co-operation with councillors because they work through the local authorities. I have had individuals to whom I could not give references because it is stated that people cannot obtain references from public representatives. I have been making representations for people for 18 years and I am concerned in that regard, particularly because we, as public representatives, ensure that we represent our communities and we recommend people who we believe would make good tenants.

I know that the approved housing bodies have been buying houses. Can I have an update on that? Numerous houses in my local authority area have been purchased. More houses have been bought by approved housing bodies than by the local authority. They are buying once-off houses. Originally, the approved housing bodes were supposed to cater for the needs of people with disabilities or those with special needs but that all seems to be changing.

I know we have a housing crisis. I acknowledge that it would be good if the credit unions worked with the approved housing bodies going forward. I think it would be good for the people who are looking for houses. However, in terms of the bigger picture, there needs to be an option for people to buy their houses and there must be increased co-operation with councillors, Senators, Deputies and local authorities. Perhaps the witnesses revert to me on those points?