Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

I invite the Minister of State to return to the issue in the House at a future date having examined the amount of money being spent on options such as the rental accommodation scheme, long-term leases and rental subsidies. He should add those costs together. I referred previously today to vacant houses in ghost estates. I agree that not all such properties are suitable for local authority housing nor should all local authority housing be in the one place. We support the integration of social housing. I urge the Minister of State to examine the option and to try to use existing resources to better effect as much taxpayers' money is being poured down the drain at the moment.

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