Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 4 December 2019
Committee on Budgetary Oversight
Fiscal Assessment Report: Irish Fiscal Advisory Council
Mr. Seamus Coffey:
I am unaware of the report the OECD has produced on the changing priorities within the economy. It is correct that some of the spending could be through approved housing bodies acquiring existing properties. The concern from our perspective is that we do not know. There should be greater transparency on what activity the spending is leading to. We are not opposed to the spending. We are saying if it is included in the budget documents, as it currently is, so that we do see the changes, we should know what is driving those changes. The provision of social housing and housing in general is a policy area for the Government. If the Government is achieving its policy objectives through these it should be visible.