Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I accept that the blame game went on for many years. It is not currently being played. In some local authorities, there was a concern as to whether funding would be available if a local authority were to pursue strongly a social housing project it was asked to develop by the Department. All Members of the House support what is being done in regard to social housing, at a minimum, and are committed that the €5.3 billion that has been allocated to it be spent.

Some Members want to spend even more and I accept that as well. I have given assurances to local authority members and managers that they can get on with this. What happened under previous Governments, when funding was stopped after local authorities were told to progress sites, is not going to happen. That is very clear. I am doing that on behalf of the Dáil. This is not the Government trying to claim credit here. Everybody in this House supports the spend on social housing and wants it to continue. It is something that we are pushing because it was delaying projects, and even delaying to the commitment to pipeline projects. The fear was that it could be cut off again. That is not happening.

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