Mr. John Brannigan:

Four years ago, we introduced a deposit scheme so that when tenants get a property they have to pay a deposit on it. This is non-refundable if there is any damage done to the property. We now get the properties back in better shape than we previously did. We also encourage tenants, through the annual estate awards, to keep their areas in good condition. In regard to extra staff, similar to the case in Mayo, the multiple trades that would be needed for heating, plumbing, electrical and painting and decorating, mean it would not be a very efficient system if a local authority was to go down that route. We get better value for money by engaging with a contractor directly.