Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

We cannot have a situation where there is no analysis of this. We have to analyse how public money is being spent. However, changes have been made which need time to bed down. Once they are bedded down, they will be shown to have worked.

I acknowledge the support of Deputies from a number of political backgrounds. I ask the House to support what I said in my opening statement. We must look at the Constitution and the need to rebalance the property rights of individualsvis-à-visthe common good in order to address the issues we face today. I outlined earlier that I tried to make a number of changes but was hit every time by constitutional issues. If we are going to really deal with issues such as those relating to Tyrrelstown, we may have to examine the Constitution. I am not saying we have all the answers but let us have an open and frank discussion as to whether the common good is proportionately being achieved in view of the constitutional position.

In the context of a number of the points made on Tyrrelstown, Fingal County Council and Prosper Fingal Housing Association have been in contact and have been working on trying to purchase those units. I do not want to get into too much detail on that but the fact is that activity did take place. It is not like they did not try. I want that on the record. The chief executive did that with his own councillors.

Part V should not be increased back to 20%, which would make construction unviable. I am surprised that I find myself in agreement with Deputy Wallace and disagreeing with a number of other Members on that. The issue of credit unions has been raised by a number of people. I met the credit unions and the Department has corresponded with them. The fact is that they have to go through a regulatory process and then come back with their proposals. I am waiting for them to come back to me - or whomever is Minister in the future - with those proposals. I expect the person who is in office to welcome them with open arms. It would be a very positive development. Despite assertions in the House, my Department does not control all the levers in respect of that. We have a regulatory process for a reason.

In case we do not get to debate this again while I am in office, I note that whoever takes over the role will have everything outlined to him or her in respect of our plans, policy changes, targets and what has been provided. An up-to-date report will be given to the Minister and I will even speak to him or her when he or she is place. I want to see somebody who made a contribution to the debate here today come and take over the role in an honest way and actually put up or shut up. Some people believe they have the policies that will in some way miraculously fix these things in a short period. All of these issues are complex and intertwined and they will take years to address. When I am sitting on the Opposition benches, I will provide constructive criticism where necessary but I know this is not something a magic wand can fix overnight. Somebody is going to find that out when he or she takes this chair in the coming weeks or months.

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