Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The credit unions are champing at the bit to have a role in a model similar to the one in Canada, for example, whereby funding can go into a central pot to be taken out by local authorities and housing associations. Housing associations should be allowed to access private finance. There is an issue with the Government partaking in a funding mechanism for the private sector at exorbitant rates along with an American fund.

That must cease because it has failed. It does not bear any reality to the situation on the ground because it must be competitive. Funding cannot be got in the private sector either, and the Minister must play his role in ensuring that begins to feed out into the private sector to get construction going and to address the costs we discussed earlier. As I said, I am prepared to wait until his programme is in place, having consulted the all-party committee that is doing great work as we speak in meeting the sectors, stakeholders and those at the coalface in regard to homelessness in particular. We also have the mortgage issue, which is becoming-----

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