Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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I have very limited time. This is really important. I have found it really difficult to get this information. I would nearly have to write to each local authority. This is madness. My local authority has 2,250 leases. The information given in response to a parliamentary question a year and a half ago was that the average cost was €17,000 per annum. Doing my calculations on the basis of that, I see that the 2,250 leases in Kildare would cost €38 million a year. Over the typical 25-year lease, that works out to be almost €1 billion. There is no asset at the end. The house is refurbished and handed back at the end. We do not know where the tenants go but provision must obviously be made for them. That is incredibly bad value for money. In an article in 2021, someone I am not used to quoting, Mr. Dermot Desmond, said that this was a "criminal waste of money" and that investment funds were having a laugh at Ireland's expense. We all know we need housing. We need social housing, affordable housing, housing for sale and housing for rent. However, value for money is critical. The Housing Agency is carrying out a review. I believe it is into Part V provision. Do local authorities have the authority to buy Part V housing? Are they required to take the option of leasing Part V housing?