Joe Neville (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I am very surprised that we have reached this juncture. Peter McVerry and the trust have done a lot of good work over the years. They have called out where there has been inaction from the Government side on homelessness. This was the trust's opportunity to stand over the work it has done over the years but, unfortunately, it has decided not to come in. That leads one to conclude that, at present, it is not able to stand over what it has been doing. It is to be hoped it is getting its numbers together because, as yet, it has not been able to furnish the 2023 accounts. As anybody listening knows, the 2023 accounts should have been in this time last year. They should have been furnished by July 2024. It is a year late with this set of accounts. Once again, that draws severe questions over these sets of accounts and the financial management that is taking place.

People might ask why the committee is pushing so hard on the Peter McVerry Trust. Ultimately, we are pushing hard on the Department of housing. All of us here, even those of us on the Government benches, are giving money to the Department of housing. The money is going to certain places and ultimately we are not sure how that money is being spent. It is difficult to do housing and social housing but we are giving funding to a lot of different bodies to deliver that housing. If how we are doing it and how those groups are doing their business are drawn into question, that ultimately poses serious questions for everyone involved and puts in question the whole format and basis of how we spend that money. We have to ask the Peter McVerry Trust to come in because ultimately it is State money. Questions might be put to us about why a group such as the trust has to come in. Ultimately, it is because it is spending State money. The next phase of spending through the Department of housing is relevant in this context. Money goes from the Department to the trust and, ultimately, groups such as that have to manage it well. The trust should and has to come in. A really strong message has to go out from all of us in this room that it has to come in to explain itself. As I said, it puts the whole process in question and undermines the good work that not only the trust is doing but other bodies like it might be doing.