Denis Landy (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I support the call by Senator Hayden for NAMA to release houses to local authorities and to social housing organisations. As has been said, NAMA holds some 10,000 housing units, yet there are 98,000 people in need of housing. It does not take a genius to work out that the houses held by NAMA should be released into the stewardship of local authorities and social housing organisations.

I welcome the Government's decision in July to bring forward a voluntary code of conduct for social housing organisations to regulate rents, maintenance and lettings. There is also a requirement for transparency in the funding of the more than 700 social housing organisations. If the social housing organisations do not voluntarily sign up to the voluntary code of conduct, I suggest we legislate to make it a statutory code.

I commend the Members of this House who have stood up to fight for the reform and retention of Seanad Éireann. This job should not be left to the few. Everybody who believes that the House should be retained and reformed should canvass for it on a daily basis. I had the privilege to canvass with Democracy Matters. I think, as a betting man, the referendum will be defeated. The people of Ireland will have their say on 4 October and the Government is slowly realising this. Last Friday I attended the annual conference of the Association of Municipal Authorities of Ireland in west Cork, at which the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, was the guest of honour. In the course of his speech he referred to the Seanad referendum, stating that the Government will look at reform if the referendum is defeated. That is proof positive to the Irish people that there is a plan B. Plan B will come into operation when we see off this referendum.