Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am all for Irish people having a home and being able to pay their rent. This is nothing only a racket, however, and it has been hijacked. I am not saying the Minister is inept, but the whole system has become inept in terms of dealing with it. We are talking ourselves silly. I watched the debate last night on the error that had been discovered. The hours people are putting in are too long and the legislation is rushed.

Why can we not deal with this? We should start at the local level. I believe in "local". I represent "local". Start with the local authorities and ask what is wrong with them and why they cannot build houses anymore. They are simple questions. They are not doing it. They say that while the Minister has announced that money is available, they cannot draw it down. It is not rocket science. If we got rid of all the consultants and the layers of bureaucracy and red tape, we would have done something. That is all I will say, mo focail scór. Start local. Come down and get dirty with the people. Listen to them and talk to the people who are homeless. Support and enable the voluntary groups to build. The builders cannot build because they cannot get the money from the banks and planning can take forever, although the Minister is trying to make some changes. He should start locally, listen to the people and stand with them. Like the parish priest, if one stands in people's kitchens, one will have a full church. The Minister should stand with and listen to the people and get on to the local authorities first thing on Monday morning. He should call them to Dublin and tell them what I and everyone else said in the Dáil. It is what anyone with a nose on his or her face can see. They are failing the people.

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