Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

First of all, I will not use the time to take potshots at anybody about his or her political policies in the past, whatever the party he or she is from.

I thank Deputy Wallace for bringing this matter to the fore. Whether one agrees or disagrees with some of what it contains, it is only healthy and right that we have a debate. I would sometimes have to take issue with Deputy Boyd Barrett, with whom I am very good friends, when I hear him talking about people being "obscene", "despicable", etc.

Why is that so because there are people in this country who take it upon themselves to buy property, develop it and sell it on? It cannot be said that those people are despicable or outrageous because they want to make a living and they create employment. That seems to be going on a lot in Dáil Éireann where we are down on top of people. We need people to build houses for us and we need houses to be provided. If the State will not do it we need houses to come from somewhere and we need property to be developed. I will certainly not put my name to calling the people that are involved in that despicable. I know that bad things have happened in the past but the one thing about bad things happening in the past is that surely to God we will be smart enough to learn in the future.

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