Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I will not repeat what previous speakers have said. We had a good debate on these matters on Committee Stage and the Minister has taken on board many of our suggestions.

The most important aspect of this issue — Senator Jim Walsh also adverted to it — relates to paragraph (c) of amendment No. 9, which states "the appointment as chairperson of the committee of a member of the local authority concerned who has been nominated in accordance with paragraph (b)(i),". In other words, the chairperson will be a county councillor. That is extremely important. In recent years there has been a tremendous development in urban local authorities, in particular, whereby close relationships have grown up between their housing departments and anti-social units. In South Dublin County Council, the people who possess the relevant information and who have their fingers on the pulse of some of the communities work in the housing department. In law, the most important matter with which local authorities are charged is providing people with houses. This Bill will create links between local authorities, particularly their housing departments which possess information about troublemakers, etc., and the new committees. It is an important and major improvement that there will be direct links between the committees and the existing local authorities. I commend the Minister for taking on board our suggestions, particularly those relating to public meetings, etc. We had some useful exchanges on Committee Stage.