Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I will ask two questions relating to the Taoiseach's speech to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions in Belfast. ICTU has set out a number of priorities in advance of the new round of partnership talks. Top of its list is tackling the widening gap between the low and high paid, which is not new. Given the growth in this gap under Governments led by the Taoiseach, does he foresee a time when we will be able to turn around this trend and effectively reduce the gap to bring about some equity?

My second question is related to the affordable homes partnership plan. I assume the creation of the partnership is an acknowledgement by the Taoiseach of the failure to quickly meet the commitment to build 10,000 social housing units. It is clear the plan is a good deal for developers who will no doubt be happy to get their hands on lucrative land in return for building what are known as affordable homes. I understand the affordable homes in question will be sold at 20% below market price, whereas the Taoiseach indicated to Deputy Rabbitte that they will be sold at 33% below market price. Will he clarify the difference?

What criteria will govern the selection of the lucky developers who will be charged with taking responsibility for delivery of the partnership project? Will selection be determined simply by the price given to the State or will the criteria include obligations on the developers to pay subcontractors they engage promptly and operate to a set of standards laid down by the Government? Will the Taoiseach outline what such criteria might be, given the experience of a significant number of subcontractors who protested outside the House yesterday, having been effectively stung for hundreds of thousands of euro owed to them by contractors working in the pay of local authorities? I understand the Taoiseach is aware of the matter. What criteria are in place to prevent a recurrence of this type of serious non-payment of Bills?

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