Housing tsar clarification
Deputy Smith asks for a debate on the proposed housing tsar, its remit and funding, and says clarification is urgently needed.
The proposal for a so-called housing tsar will be one of the most egregious of this Government. The details in the programme for Government stated it would be under the Minister for housing but it is emerging that the pay would come from the Department of Finance. We are still unclear as to the remit or powers this new, well-remunerated role will have. As the Government dragged its heels on setting up committees and we probably still will not have them in two weeks, we think there is an urgent need for clarification on the floor of the House this week.