Ivana Bacik (Independent)

I support this amendment because it provides for an extra level of discretion for housing authorities. I stress that it does not, in any way, prevent housing authorities from exercising powers to impose sanctions on households that are in arrears or breaching tenancy conditions. It provides for an extra level of discretion in exceptional circumstances, as the amendment proposes, and those circumstances mean that arrangements cannot be put in place without causing undue hardship. In such a situation, the housing authority could go so far as to cancel the obligation of the household to pay moneys owing. It provides housing authorities with an extra layer of discretion and I ask the Minister of State to consider the point that housing authorities should have discretion. Nobody is suggesting they should be forced to cancel obligations. Clearly the authorities must have the power to impose sanctions but it is also important that they have some discretion, especially in the current climate. Circumstances have clearly changed since this Bill was originally drafted and it is important that we would note that exceptional circumstances can and do arise. In that context, this Bill should put in place mechanisms that would give authorities extra discretion in such exceptional circumstances.