Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

The Minister is well aware of the limited roles in terms of elected representatives and full-time staff of councils. The buck stops at the Minister's desk, regardless of the circulars he sends out to local authorities, because his Department is funding them. This situation is concurrent. We are aware that inspections of the private rental sector in local authorities are a farce, despite all the regulations the Minister has circulated. We are also aware that this could well be a farce. Is the Minister, by way of the statement he just made, washing his hands of any accountability on this matter because that is what I am hearing?

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