Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 19 January 2023

Public Accounts Committee

Financial Statements 2020: Housing Agency
Financial Statements 2021: Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority
Chapter 7: Housing Agency Revolving Acquisition Fund
Section 2 Report – Unauthorised Release of Funds from the Central Fund of the Exchequer

9:30 am

Photo of Neasa HouriganNeasa Hourigan (Dublin Central, Green Party)
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I want to stick with that issue. For clarity, taking out the particular instance the Chair has provided, at the end of any kind of financial lien with an AHB, the AHB has full control over the asset and there is no allocation rights from the local authority. Is that correct? Okay. We can have a long conversation about value for money in terms of the State and having absolutely no allocation rights in perpetuity. However, just to be clear, regarding the briefings we received, much of the discussion around the AHB model is that you can work with local authorities to fulfil national policy on things such as disability provision, the provision of elder housing and all of those good things. The issue of the AHB being a charity or non-profit is neither here nor there.

The issue is not profit; it is that they will be under no requirement to work with the local authorities to fulfil those quotas. The housing units will be there but the AHB can operate completely independently from the local authority at that stage because there is no lien on the property. I would just flag the fact that does not make any sense.

I want to be clear on a few other things. These questions are for Ms Lyons. Are there any investigations currently being undertaken by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority? Has it launched any investigations yet? I know the authority is in early its stages.