Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I would like to make two further brief points on this issue. The Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, said the issue about which we are speaking was not raised on Second Stage. It was. I raised it, as I am sure other Deputies did. We queried it with the Minister of State and sought clarification on it. Also, whatever about the undertakings she is now giving, we have nothing in writing and certainly nothing in the legislation to support it.

Two years down the road, when somebody finds they have lost their place on the housing list, there will not be much point in quoting what a Minister said about it in June 2014 unless the matter is covered in the legislation or secondary legislation we will have seen. That has not happened to date.

It is really unfortunate that there is a problem with these provisions. Unfortunately, what should be a very positive scheme and what has been welcomed in other respects is turning into a negative one. Even if what the Minister of State has described happens and people go on the transfer list, it will not be a solution. It may be sufficient for people who are very far down the housing list but anybody occupying a reasonable position on the existing housing list will simply not opt for HAP because of the negative impact it will have on his or her chances of getting a council house, which is the ultimate aim of those on the housing list. Although the legislation should be providing a positive short-term to medium-term solution, it will be seen as negative. That is very unfortunate. For this reason, I strongly urge the Minister of State to drop the section or at least include the word "not" so people will not be deemed to have had their housing needs catered for.

What should be have been positive is turning into a strongly negative arrangement. This raises concerns that there is a very strong private sector influence on what the Government proposes to do. It leaves it open to the allegation that it is in the process of effectively privatising the social housing programme. That is a very retrograde step.

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