Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)

The Minister spoke about different reports and bodies being set up and whatever. The bottom line is that if people do their job and are given the utilities, instruments and simplifications, everyone could do their jobs without putting layers upon layers. All we are doing, if we get a housing tsar or whatever, is getting another person to blame. We will say they should have done their job. At the end of the day, if everyone who is appointed, whether in councils, in planning and up the ladder to Secretary General, does their job, we would not need more layers. What we need to do is simplify things. I have simplified the croí cónaithe scheme. I have simplified it in all of the aspects of housing because we spoke to the people who are building the houses, the people on the ground. They are the ones who see the problems. That choice is the Minister's. I worry that if the same piano is playing, we will get the same tune. People in the different Departments are not used to change. They are not used to making decisions to change something if it is not working and of going a different way. Someone has to put the boot in and change the tune. If that does not happen, we will be in the same situation next year and the year after.

The quarries keep closing. There is no quarry open from Galway city to Connemara, and the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach can correct me if I am wrong. Those are the facts. Things are being brought 50 to 80 miles now because of legislation. Was anything done over past three years? Has the Department done anything? No. If the same thing continues in housing, the Minister will get the blame as will the next one. The unfortunate part of this is that more of our kids will have emigrated even though they have jobs, because at a cost of €600,000, they cannot afford a house. One would want to have a super duper job to be able to afford it and that is for a second hand house. If we do not concentrate on solving this problem, those kids will keep on emigrating. Children around the country do not have a roof over their heads tonight and the figures due to come out on Friday will be higher. It is up to us, as elected representatives, to represent the people and not to keep listening to the people who have gotten it wrong for the past ten years.

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