Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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Local authorities built 1,666 houses last year according to the figures supplied by Mr. Doyle to this committee. In the 1970s the local authorities were building 7,000 and 8,000 houses. In the 1930s they were building 7,000, 8,000 and 9,000 houses. What I am trying to understand, for the life of me - and I know we are using different methods and I am in favour of that, AHBs etc. - is what is happening between the Department and the local authorities. The staff are well back up in the local authorities. Something is happening in terms of a budget is being provided. The local authorities do not seem to have the capacity. I will go through the figures for quarter 3 this year in a few minutes. They were released yesterday and I have them in front of me. Between the Department and the local authorities we seem to be incapable of getting back to the capacity we were at in the 1970s. We are now heading into the year 2024. I am asking Mr. Doyle, as head of the Department, what the breaks are and why that is not happening.