We spent a considerable amount of time yesterday evening on this amendment trying to convince the Minister that it was desirable to leave the job of providing houses to the elected representatives on local authorities and to leave the sole responsibility there and not to have it diversified in the manner in which it is diversified at the moment, responsibility being laid on the shoulders of public representatives, on county managers and on the Department of Local Government. We have tried at some considerable length to get the Minister to see that this division of responsibility is a serious impediment to progress in housing. The Minister insists that this must be retained. Apparently, nothing we can say on this side of the House will convince him that this bureaucratic control is wrong and is not conducive to expeditious and efficient housing progress.
As far as I am concerned, this amendment has been pushed far enough. If the Minister was going to change his attitude, he would already have changed it. I am sorry he does not see the good sense and the intention behind this amendment. There is only one intention, that is, to ensure that houses are built as fast as money becomes available to build them. The question of the amounts of money that will come from the Central Fund is something that can be decided by the Minister. I would exhort him to reconsider his attitude regardless of the fact that he seems determined to defeat this amendment. I know very well that if I insist on having a vote on this amendment at this stage, we will be defeated on the vote as well. I see little purpose in undertaking this exercise at this stage. I am anxious to see this Bill passed through the House as quickly as possible, consistent with ensuring that we at least get the best out of it. I do not want to be accused of delaying for a moment longer than necessary the benefits that might come to people who wish to be housed as quickly as possible and who hope to get additional benefits from this Bill. Consequently, I see no sense in pursuing this amendment any further.