Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

This amendment is not necessary. Section 20(6) provides that the Minister will make regulations providing for the description and classification of household need. It is intended that these regulations would include a revised classification system for housing needs centred on the severity and persistence of need. It is proposed to base the revised classification system as much as possible on the model devised by FEANSTA, a European body representative of national organisations working with the homeless. The proposed classification system has already been the subject of extensive consultation with the social partners and housing authorities from the perspective of the general and special housing needs. These groups, on the whole, have been in favour of the proposals. Providing the details of such a classification system in regulation will allow the necessary flexibility to adapt the model over time as circumstances and priorities change. This flexibility is not as readily available in primary legislation. I ask the Senator to withdraw the amendment.