Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In his reply to earlier questions, I heard the Tánaiste say there could be unintended consequences if there was a complete ban on cuckoo funds acting, about which we have all been talking in recent days. An obvious unintended consequence is the way they are acting at the moment, because they were established to increase supply and to provide capital and extra housing, instead of swooping in and purchasing housing already completed.

A number of cases have been brought to my attention in which further swoops are imminent. How long will it take the Government to come up with a solution to this problem? The activities we are talking about are not in the public interest.

Is there anything the Government can do, as an interim measure, to prevent more houses being swallowed up before it comes to a conclusion on what it will do?

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