Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State's reply, in particular the increased amount for the voluntary sector. The Minister will probably be aware that my county is somewhat of a champion of voluntary sector housing. I championed it myself when I was in the Minister of State's position in the Department and it has been operating since.

I bring to the Minister's attention the crisis that exists in the social housing area where voluntary housing is directly involved. I will give the Minister one example. Celbridge, which the Minister knows well because he opened a housing scheme there recently, is a middle class town. There are 1,600 families on the waiting list for social and affordable housing in the town. This figure is extraordinary. Although a very large sum of money has been allocated to address the problem, it is simply not enough, even when combined with the other moneys available. There is a need for a further allocation and I hope the Minister of State will press his colleagues in Cabinet to ensure it is made.

Does the Minister of State agree there is a need to make some changes in the voluntary housing sector? Landlords now seem to own far more houses than all others and Respond resists very strongly the possibility of tenants purchasing their houses. Will the Minister allow for a purchase scheme in the voluntary housing sector that is similar to that pertaining to local authority homes? I know he will meet strong resistance, as I did when I tried it.

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