Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

I am not sure whether the Taoiseach saw "Prime Time Investigates" on RTE last night, which made me very angry, but he can indicate whether he did. We can all be angry about people being forced to live 50 miles from where they work because they cannot afford a house any closer. However, the behaviour of the gombeen men and racketeers who give auctioneers and estate agents a bad name angered me the most because of their unethical, criminal and downright two-faced dealings with vulnerable, hard pressed and cash strapped clients. As the programme continued, it emerged that the activity being reported and shamefully exposed is the result of the Government's inaction on a number of clear failings in the industry. For example, false bidding at an auction continues quite legitimately, yet if one did this in Australia, one would be put behind bars. False information is regularly provided about the floor size of a property to make it look bigger in its description but if that happened in the US, it would be a criminal offence.

Is protection being provided for the industry that was exposed last night? Are certain activities permitted as long as estate agents, auctioneers or the Government parties receive a cut of the action at the Galway Races? It is impossible to understand how such an obvious omission in law is not being tackled by the Government. The estate agency review group recommended an independent regulatory authority. Will the Government put that into effect so that complaints can be followed up and the conflict of interest reported last night can be clearly legislated for and prevented? Will the Taoiseach introduce legislation to end false bidding and the false disclosure of information and to prosecute individuals who engage in clear breaches of data protection law similar to those exposed last night? The Taoiseach has a job to do. When will he do it?

See this speech in context