Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have already put on the record my complete support for all the efforts that are being made to find accommodation for the refugees. That is not the problem. The problem I am talking about is with the local authorities. The vacant house to which I referred was left in perfect condition last October. It is now six or seven months later. A year ago, if I had asked the council what the problem was, it would have said it had no money. Now it is saying the problem is resources. Personally, I think the local authorities are not able to do this work. Perhaps somebody who knows something about business, like Michael O'Leary of Ryanair, should be put in there. I cannot understand it. Years ago, the councils had their own plumbers, electricians and everything else. They are doing absolutely nothing. The biggest problem is accountability. Where is the accountability for them? There is nothing. Council staff are civil servants who can fob people off. I know of a person whose mother and father threw them out of the house last week. The person was homeless. They were told by the council to go back and make up with their mother and father. When marriages break up, the husband and wife have to vacate the house. They go to the council to get put on the list. They are told that they cannot go on the list because they have accommodation or their name is already down. Excuse after excuse is being made. I am asking for solutions. The Government is doing a fantastic job with the Ukrainian refugees. I have no problem whatsoever with that. I have mothers coming to my office, with their children roaring and crying, who are looking for accommodation. We have to look after Irish and Ukrainian people. If the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform could find €3 billion last week to help out-----

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