Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

Séamus Brennan was a much respected Deputy in Dublin South and it was right, both out of respect to him and to his family, that a reasonable period of time was left before a by-election was held to replace him. However, that time has passed, and nobody more than Séamus would want an election to take place and the people of Dublin South to be properly represented. The people want that and are entitled to representation. Whatever the Constitution may say - it seems to be silent on this matter - the spirit of the Constitution is that people should have full representation.

I also believe there are other reasons to have a by-election at this time. Local and European issues will be discussed during the local and European election campaigns. The holding of the two by-elections would represent an opportunity to meet the huge need for a general election-type debate. Since this House returned from its summer recess last September, Deputies have discussed the financial crisis, the Exchequer finances and the jobs crisis, but we have not discussed the human consequences of the recession to any great extent. We are dealing with certain aspects of the recession, but we are not dealing with its human consequences. We need to debate the myriad of such issues, all of which are reflected in my constituency. Now that we are all out canvassing, we are meeting old people whose savings and pensions have been eroded and whose homes have been completely devalued. The plans of those who have spent their lives saving and making sacrifices have gone to nothing. They had great hopes for the Fair Deal, which seems to have disappeared. What will happen to the Fair Deal?

When we talk about the property crisis, we only refer to its effects on developers. What about young people who cannot get out of fixed-rate mortgages? What about those who are living in half-built apartment blocks that will probably never be finished? When young people who live in half-inhabited apartment blocks go home each evening, they worry that squatters will have moved in next door to them. What will happen to all of those people? These issues have to be dealt with. They cannot wait while we work ourselves out of the recession. In my constituency, some 17 schools are waiting interminably for funding to enable them to replace their prefabs. The debate on these issues, which need to be thrashed out and discussed, cannot be postponed until the recession is over. For that reason alone, I support the motion proposing that the by-elections be held immediately.

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