Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

Like previous speakers, I am disappointed the Minister of State has not included an amendment in regard to the ownership of flats for local authority tenants. Clearly, my party fully supports the Labour Party amendment and we wish to commend and thank Deputy Ciarán Lynch for bringing it forward. It is discriminatory and very unjust that local authority tenants cannot purchase their own homes. It is a proven fact that if people own a property, they will be more respectful of it and appreciate it much more than if they rent the property. Many of my colleagues have raised this issue consistently, including Deputy Catherine Byrne and Deputy Bernard Allen from Cork, who has been very critical of the Government policy not to allow people to own their own flats.

There is clearly something wrong if the Minister of State is not willing to accept this very reasonable amendment. All we seek is fairness and for this unresolved issue to be fully dealt with.

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