Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank my colleague for sharing time with me. The red light on the microphone has just come on; it is a bit reluctant but it is working. I compliment the Minister and the Government on their economic policy so far. It has been spectacularly successful. That does not mean there are not issues such as the housing issue, which is a major one. I accept fully the point some Members made that it is unacceptable that a great number of people are homeless, technically or otherwise. I do not accept the notion, which is spread by somebody every so often, that people will not take houses. We deal with these people on a daily basis. I can assure Members that whenever they get an opportunity of a house, in any shape or form, they will take it. The possibility of remaining homeless when there is something on offer is not an issue.

Deputy Catherine Martin referred to climate change. She was right in saying we need to do more about climate change with respect to striving towards self-sufficiency, reducing our imports, contributing to the environment and avoiding the payment of fines. However, there is also a danger it seems of a tendency that we should go on a splurge, as mentioned by a number of Members.

Deputy Seamus Healy is a nice guy, and I am very fond of him, but I can assure the House he is wrong in his calculations and the preparation of those calculations is totally wrong. We should recall that before the bubble burst it was claimed Ireland was one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but that was wrong. Part of that claim was generated by the huge cost of property and houses throughout the country, which was multiples of what they cost elsewhere. It gave us a totally false impression of the factual position in the country.

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