Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

It is clear the Minister of State does not propose to accept any of the amendments proposed. It is a sad day for all of us in this House when a series of well-intentioned, well-constructed, reasonable amendments are tabled and a Minister or Minister of State fails to accept any of them. The Minister of State would have us believe that she has provided in the legislation that those in receipt of the HAP payment will be taken of the housing waiting list but can go on a transfer list.

The problem is that the legislation the Minister of State has put before us provides for people to be taken off the list but provides no legislative framework for them to be put on a list. The Minister of State says there is a requirement for a local authority to have a policy. We have a policy in Kildare, namely that there will be no transfer. Therefore, what the Minister of State is saying to us makes absolutely no sense.

Let me address very briefly the circumstances of a person under the RAS by comparison with those of a homeless person, as alluded to by other Deputies. If a casual vacancy or new house arises or the local authority is lucky enough to get a property from NAMA, it creates a vacancy. We are simply saying people who have had five years occupancy under RAS should progress out of the RAS unit and that the person who is homeless should come in behind them into the RAS unit. Therefore, there would be a degree of progression that would allow what I propose regarding tenants who demonstrate suitability in respect of the sort of community building to which we are all committed. Sadly, the Minister of State appears not to be committed in that respect.

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