Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is why we have a problem; it did not happen for a very long time but it needs to happen now. I acknowledge what the Minister is saying and hope that it progresses satisfactorily. There have been more than 100,000 people on local authority waiting lists for as long as I can remember and only when the economy goes down does that figure go down. In the current economic climate, is due regard being taken of the need to provide for a sufficient number of direct-build local authority houses? They should be provided in such as way as puts them beyond the need for anybody to have an ongoing profit or whatever. This would create stability among a certain cohort who are looking forward to that kind of alleviation.

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