Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael)

The Minister was in before the committee, but, more specifically, as the report has now been published, the Minister has established a special working sectoral group in this area. There were eight interlinked policy developments. The Deputy has referred to some of them. We want to get the AHBs to go more towards direct delivery to examine the reformed income model for the AHB social housing revolving fund, establishing an AHB sector restructuring sustainable fund and then capital funding to support more sustainability for larger AHBs. That is the area the Deputy is talking about - gearing, direct delivery and reclassification. The big issue here is that the Minister has done a body of work and wants to work with the sectoral group and, specifically, to look at the particular issue in terms of that gearing aspect. As the Deputy is probably aware, in terms of some of the larger AHBs, there is a body of work under way with the UCD Geary Institute and the Housing Alliance. They have allowed potential pathways in terms of the reclassification of some larger AHBs.

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