Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

The Minister has alluded to the existing blockages and I ask what she plans to do to remove them. If a person on rent supplement refuses a house is this decision notified to the Department? There has to be an element of strictness. I agree one must consider people's needs and whether children are in school but there has to be a bit of practicality. This scheme was intended as a temporary measure but it has turned into a permanent arrangement. To be fair to the people on the scheme, it is because of the failure of the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to provide adequate housing for people in the first place.

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