Kerry Fine Gael councillor says government's reaction to crisis is to set up an agency

A Kerry Fine Gael councillor says the government's reaction to a crisis is to set up an agency.

Councillor Jim Finucane was speaking during a meeting on the local authority's housing plans over the next five years, after the council said an agency will be created to help with aspects of the Housing for All plan. The Tralee MD councillor says local authorities should be given a “war chest”, so they could react to local needs without the rigmarole that's currently there.

He says by the time an agency is set up, an office is found, staff are employed, 12 months have elapsed. Councillor Finucane, who's an auctioneer, says due to the “perpetuation of new agencies” the public sector is being left in the dust by private entities.