Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no question about me agreeing with the Deputy. I meet with the CEOs on a regular basis. We engage with and meet them individually. I have had two recent housing summits where all chief executives and directors of service for housing from all 31 local authorities attended. That was very much focused on housing delivery. As I mentioned earlier, we will deliver more social homes this year than in any year in the history of the State. That is being supported very well by our colleagues in local government.

On processing times, again, that is tracked on the HAP side and for social housing applications. Following the Deputy’s question and intervention, I will seek a further update on the matter. I would engage directly with the LGMA as well. That is our channel to the CEOs. The latter are not necessarily our representatives in every local authority. They are the CEOs of their authorities. We have very good engagement with them. I will take that matter up. It is a serious issue, but the application is also a serious matter. It requires time to process. A period of 12 weeks for the social housing application is reasonable, as long as it is adhered to. Where issues arise, they need to be picked up sooner in the process in order that people are not waiting ten weeks before they find out if there is information outstanding.

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