Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

The Cathaoirleach may bring clarity to the Seanad after all these years.

I support Senator Aideen Hayden's comments in regard to the rental accommodation scheme, which has been one of the most successful social housing initiatives of the past decade. We all offered reassurances to constituents when the scheme was introduced that their participation would not preclude them from remaining on the social housing list. That issue must be clarified. It would be helpful if, as the Senator suggested, a debate on social housing were arranged early in the new session.

It remains not just a mystery but a cause of deep annoyance to tens of thousands of people on housing lists that, at a time when there are so many vacant properties in housing estates, we cannot marry that problem with a solution for the people looking for housing. We need a new formula for housing, local authority housing and social housing. A debate in the early autumn would be helpful and I support Senator Hayden's comments.