Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)

I welcome this Private Members' Bill introduced by Deputy Niall Collins. The work of local authorities is always challenging but particularly in view of the fact that redundancy schemes will be taking effect in February and there is an embargo on the recruitment of staff. As a result of a smaller staff complement over recent years, I have noted an undue delay in providing substantive replies to queries from public representatives. In the past when I was a county councillor I had the time to visit the council offices and was thus able to tease out many matters with the officials. Because of pressure on my time, I am unable to do so now, and this is the case for all Members. I have noted the practice of one line replies to queries, which are merely acknowledgements of receipt of applications. It should be possible with modern communications technology to provide Oireachtas Members, members of local authorities and the public with regularly updated information.

For example, in the case of the provision of social housing, local authorities are inundated with applications, many of which lie in an office for months on end. The least that could be done would be to have these applications processed in a timely fashion in order to be fair to the public and to public representatives. The applicants are entitled to a regular update on the progress of their applications, at least quarterly. This would take the pressure off us as public representatives and would alleviate the frustration experienced by the applicants. At the moment it is a vicious circle and these people are getting very annoyed. They all want to know where they are on the waiting list.

It is about time that all local authorities adopted this system. I commend the local authorities in Kerry. Killarney Town Council has been operating this system. Kerry County Council operates a banding system with approximately 20 names on each band. At least one can inform an applicant for a three bedroom house that he or she is in a particular band of the list. This is a fitting and fair system for applicants. A standard system should be used by all local authorities. Perhaps the Minister could arrange a standardisation of the system for all local authorities to make it more practical for everyone, both the people and public representatives.

There is always a big demand for local authority grants as well as for social housing. Many needy persons do not have the finances to carry out the full work for which grants apply, such as grants available for disabled persons or for the elderly to make necessary improvements to their houses. These people are entitled to be informed of an approximate date for a visit by an official or an engineer and for the processing and approval of their application. An inspection and general approval must be completed before any building work can be commenced. Any delay also lengthens the delay for those who are contracted to do the work or who are looking for such work. The prolonged application and approval process is a form of anti-employment, so to speak.

I suggest that the Bill should include provisions relating to the HSE as its system is very unsatisfactory. I commend the various State bodies, Ministers and Departments on providing us with prompt replies, often in a matter of a week or less. I recently asked a question of the Minister for Health on 3 December on two urgent matters and this was referred to the HSE. Even allowing for the Christmas break and the new year, I still await a reply and this delay is uncalled for. Members require a more prompt response. The HSE is an entity which appears to be outside all accountability, especially to public representatives. Replies are eventually received but at that stage it is a bit of an embarrassment to be referring back to the client after a lengthy delay.

I note the reference to the Office of the Ombudsman. Many people are reluctant to use the freedom of information system as there is a cost involved and many people are not happy to go through that process for routine queries to local authorities regarding their personal matters. The Office of the Ombudsman could provide a more simplified system rather than the appeals system referred to in the Water Services (Amendment) Bill. People are frightened that they may have to go to court in order to appeal. This should not be necessary. Many people have never had occasion to go before a judge in court and this frightens them. This is what is putting the fear of God into people as regards the Water Services (Amendment) Bill. I suggest the Office of the Ombudsman should be used in this regard rather than the courts.

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