Mr. Graham Doyle:

If the Deputy will forgive me, I do not accept that the tenant in situ scheme is being gutted. That is not happening at all. As a Department, we have focused as much as we possibly can on the construction of new homes, new supply and all of that. In the past five years, we have added 50,000 houses to the social housing stock in the country. Some 6,000 to 7,000 of those came through acquisition. The rest have come through building by local authorities and AHBs and own-build schemes. A certain amount has also come through leasing, which also involves new builds. The tenant in situ scheme is a matter of Government policy.

On the view within the Department, Departments will always have views and will always provide advice but the tenant in situ scheme is a matter of Government policy. The Government is determined to deliver on it so we are delivering on it within the context of the funding that can be made available for it.