Sharon Keogan: Collect Housing Data - Stop Centralising Power

Leader, I rise today to address two issues arising from recent debates at local authority level, both of which point to deeper problems in how we approach governance and accountability in this country. The first comes from Kerry County Council, where councillors debated whether the state should collect data on the nationalities of those on social housing waiting lists. Now, what is most striking here was not the proposal itself, but the reaction to it. We heard claims that even asking for this data or discussing it would somehow fuel tensions or contribute to misinformation. That thinking is very flawed and, frankly, dangerous because, unfortunately, there is a culture of berea o lírae, or selective deafness, from much of Ireland's political administrative class, an idea that if we pretend a problem doesn't exist, and even if we scold people for bringing it up, that this will somehow make the problem disappear. This is a direct example of our infamous culture of silence. The reality is very simple. You cannot make good policy without good data, and it is extraordinary that something so basic would need to be debated at all in a council chamber, and that this information should be collected as a matter of course. If the state does not even understand the full picture of its own housing system, then how can it possibly make fair, informed and effective decisions? The second issue relates to the Tarnish's recent comments on derelict property taxes, where he accused local councils of having not done enough to collect them. He even went so far as to call them appalling, saying that this was a cause for the central government to take over the matter. These comments are deeply unfair and, in all honesty, hypocritical. Irish local government operates within one of the most centralised systems in Europe. Councils are tightly constrained, with limited autonomy, restricted financial powers and a heavy reliance on central government for both legislation and resourcing. Yes, they have powers on paper, but in reality those powers are slow, complex and in many cases ineffective, particularly under outdated legislation that makes enforcement difficult and prolonged. At the same time, these same councils are expected to deliver more and more, with limited resources and competing demands, so to criticise them for failing to deliver outcomes within a system designed and controlled at central level is not accountability, it is a deflection. And to then use that criticism as justification to take powers away from local government and centralise them further is quite simply cynical. If the system is not working, and clearly it is not, then the responsibility lies with those who lead it. The answer is not to sideline local authorities. The answer is to empower them properly, meaningfully and with the tools that actually need to do the job. It is easy to point at derelict buildings, not so easy to account for a dereliction of leadership. Go raibh maith agat. As acting leader, I must say you are doing a marvellous job and it can be very difficult. I know you are temporarily there. I know but that doesn't matter. I have seen you coming in today out of breath, you are doing a very good job and I want to acknowledge that.