Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I thank the Minister of State for his reply, notwithstanding the fact that he managed to describe a 16,000 increase in social housing numbers between 1996 and 2005 as a decrease. Did he see "Prime Time Investigates" last night? It showed the scandalous way in which home buyers in this country are being ripped off by estate agents and mortgage brokers, because of the failure of the Government to regulate these bodies. What action will he take to regulate estate agents and other professionals in the housing market? What action will he take to end the scandal of unfinished housing estates? What action will he take to regulate management companies and management charges? What will he do to end the rip off of young people trying to buy a home of their own?

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