Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Government sets the policy and strategy nationally for social housing and we have set out a very clear strategy up to 2020 that has ambitious targets for all local authorities. However, we are not just putting in the strategy. We are putting in the funding as well. We have already committed funding. In the past two budgets, we put our money where our mouth is, so to speak, and if we are returned, we will continue to do that.

The ball now moves back to the local authorities. I will be fair to them and say in their defence that they have been denuded of their housing and planning staff over the past ten years. They lost many staff. We are now ramping up and building capacity and have added 400 additional posts, 182 of which are administration posts to deal with procurement and tendering. In addition, 206 technical posts have been approved. We need to move from strategy and funding into the delivery phase. Deputy Wallace will know as a builder that it takes time to build. I was also in the building trade for more than 20 years. We need to acquire the sites, get planning permission and have tenders to get the builders on site. That process is under way. We are beginning to see the diggers going on site. I have seen them in Dolphin's Barn and other regeneration sites and hope to see many more over the coming months.

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