Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am somewhat confused. My understanding was that two reports had been furnished to the Government but I will bring the response away and consider it further. Back in early November, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, said he expected in quite a short space of time to be able to bring a report and recommendations to Cabinet. The Acting Chair is a member of the housing committee. I am sure members of that committee are also keen to see the report. As my colleague, Deputy Ó Broin, has said in the Dáil, we hope it is not the intention to refer the report to the joint Oireachtas committee because that would be a terrible waste of time. The committee has considered the issue and a majority of its members are also on record as supporting a referendum. I disagree, however. The Minister and the Department should draft legislation and then allow the joint Oireachtas committee to scrutinise that legislation. We should enshrine the right to secure appropriate and affordable housing in the foundational law - the constitutional law - of the State. People should be given an opportunity to decide that and if they want the status quo in housing to remain or to finally move on from a broken housing system.