Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Regarding the Deputy's last point, on the need for quick victories, with which I agree, one of the first steps I took was to improve the single-stage approval process, raising the value to €6 million, to give more autonomy to local authorities to build themselves. I really want that.

Next year, local authorities throughout the country are fully funded to deliver 12,750 new public homes. These are social homes. After next week I will spend most of the rest of the year visiting all of the local authorities. Many of them are setting their housing targets and targets for delivery for new public homes for next year. Deputy Gould is right to say that it is not going to change overnight, but I appreciate the positive and constructive nature in which he made his comments. We all want a resolution to it.

I have been looking at homeless services and where we are with homeless numbers. It is still tough and the numbers are far higher than they should be. They are unacceptably high. However, the position has improved over the course of the past 12 months in particular. We have to use that progress to accelerate the progress in this area by delivering more public homes. This means using our stock of public housing better. Some local authorities are better than others at turning voids around - I am not referring to Cork. Some local authorities have left stock for various reasons that they believe are appropriate. It takes some authorities longer to turn properties around and to de-tenant and re-tenant properties. That is why the €40 million voids programme in July was targeted and focused. The programme will work to get 2,500 homes back in place. There is provision in next year's budget of funding for a further 1,000 units to be put back in use next year. That is targeted for each local authority. We need to do that.

There is another important point relating to the budget. I have discussed this with all the chief executives, including the officials in Cork. We have provided absolute flexibility within the waiver moneys returning to the local authorities. There should be no reason for cuts in services relating to housing programmes. That is not the feedback we are getting from any of our local authorities. They are more than satisfied with the package that we brought forward. I have also given a commitment to them. I am saying for the second time this morning that I believe my Department and I have shown our bona fides this year with regard to supporting local governments and filling any deficits. We are committed to working with local authorities into next year in the same vein. To be fair, they have accepted that.

I do not envisage any local authority cutting any services. They should not be. After today's meeting there should not be a deficit for any of our local authorities in their budget preparation for next year. They have been given a wide range of flexibility with regard to how they can use the rebated money we are sending to them. That has been the direct feedback from chief executives across the country. Obviously, I will watch the budget process carefully. I will come back to the Deputy on derelict sites - he made a good point on that.