Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Bill to deal with management companies, which we have raised on these benches so many times, has got absolutely nothing to do with the Taoiseach's friends in the auctioneering business. A Bill has been promised by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform for five years to deal with the regulation and licensing of auctioneers. There is no sign of it and no prospect of it coming before this House.

The Taoiseach saw the excellent "Prime Time" programme which exposed the practices that are going on in the industry, such as the practice of inventing bids and ghost bidders which put up the prices. The Taoiseach will have to point out to me the person who sells a home but who does not have to buy a home. Where I live, anybody who sells a home must buy a home, so I do not know what point the Taoiseach is making.

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