Pat Moylan (Fianna Fail)

I appreciate that the Minister is passing people back to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government whose services it is hoped will improve as a result. There are, however, thousands of houses that people have vacated because they have died, left or moved out that the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government is not restoring to a habitable condition quickly enough. It does excellent work to make housing suitable for people, with heating, etc. but the length of time that takes is a problem. While that is happening, the Department of Social and Family Affairs continues to pay substantial rent for accommodation. More co-operation between the two Departments and the local authorities, which are really responsible, to speed up the repairs is important.