Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have firm conversations with all local authorities on a regular basis. I met with them only a couple of weeks ago and a couple of weeks prior to that. I met with all of the CEOs and, where necessary, their directors of housing. The Minister of State, Deputy Coffey, and, where necessary, the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan, and I have met with the local authorities, to whom we emphasised that this is our number one priority. Provision of social housing and facilitating private housing where necessary, particularly in areas where there are real issues, is the number one priority. I cannot make it any clearer than that. I accept that we need to build houses. I am doing everything I can to have houses built. There is a planning process in place for a reason and it has to be adhered to.

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